49ers’ Personnel Presents Challenge for Vikings
The San Francisco 49ers are the Minnesota Vikings’ first true test of the season. Yes, it’s great that Kevin O’Connell’s squad gets to face them at home. However, they are not the doormat that the New York Giants were.
49ers’ Personnel Presents Challenge for Vikings
Kyle Shanahan’s team comes into U.S. Bank Stadium on a short week after facing off against the New York Jets on Monday Night Football. That matchup occurred without star running back Christian McCaffrey, but that highlights the issue that Brian Flores and his defense could face.
Brock Purdy is not regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but the San Francisco offense continues to get the job done despite that. The 49ers are a well-oiled machine because of the weapons that Purdy has at his disposal.
McCaffrey tried to give it a go and was ultimately ruled out. Jordan Mason was inserted in his place and immediately racked up 147 yards on 28 carries. His 5.3 yards per attempt were gaudy, and he clearly had the offense rolling. The Georgia Tech product had never previously topped 260 yards in a season, and 43 carries were the most he had ever logged. Then, in primetime, he stepped up and made his presence felt.
That same reality is presented on the outside for San Francisco. Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle are all weapons that can beat a team in a multitude of ways. The 49ers saw Jauan Jennings lead the team in receiving yards on Monday night, and that would never be the expectation heading into a game.
Shanahan’s offense is incredibly difficult to prepare for because its strength is in the sum of all its parts. The Minnesota Vikings did an exceptional job shutting down the New York Giants in Week 1, but outside of Malik Nabers, Daniel Jones has very little to work with. Flores will be up against a much more difficult game plan this week, and that is even before considering whether McCaffrey is back on the field.
The Vikings could substantiate their intense Week 1 performance with a victory. Doing so against a team with Super Bowl aspirations in the San Francisco 49ers would be an entirely different type of performance.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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