3 Ways the Vikings Can Beat the 49ers
The Minnesota Vikings take on the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday after starting hot against the New York Giants one week ago. Minnesota took care of business by a 22-point margin.
3 Ways the Vikings Can Beat the 49ers
Minnesota climbed to 1-0, sharing a first-place standing, albeit probably temporary, with the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears. The Green Bay Packers fell to 0-1 in Brazil.
The Vikings are 5.5-point underdogs. And if they wish to score the upset, these are three ways to do it.
3. Grab an Early Lead
Under Kevin O’Connell, the Vikings are 15-1 (.938) when they score first in a game. This is the second-best record in the NFL, with only the Kansas City Chiefs better at 18-1 (.947) since the start of 2022.
The average NFL team wins about 60% of the time after scoring first, while O’Connell’s Vikings flirt with 94%. Furthermore, opposing the San Francisco 49ers is one of the most daunting tasks in football, so an early lead would do the purple team a massive favor.
Score early, and, of course, score often.
2. Continue the Aaron Jones Show
The last time the Vikings truly had an efficient running back — consistently, anyway — was the 2021 version of Dalvin Cook. Since O’Connell arrived, he’s employed an aging version of Cook and Alexander Mattison.
Well, Jones came along last weekend and gashed the Giants for 6.7 yards per carry. It’s just what the doctor ordered with an offense desperate for ground game repair. Vikings football brushed away one-dimensional tendencies from 2023 and smashed New York accordingly.
But Jones’ heroics cannot be a one-hit wonder. He must remain efficient and accumulate yards while netting first downs against the 49ers. This will free up the passing game, which needs increased help with Jordan Addison not playing.
1. Win the Turnover Battle
Fans should brace themselves for this theme of the O’Connell era; it will continue to be referenced until it’s no longer valid. O’Connell’s Vikings are undefeated when winning the turnover differential battle or splitting evenly with an opponent: 18-0 since the start of 2022.
Contrarily, Minnesota becomes a bad-bad franchise when O’Connell’s team loses the turnover ratio. They’re 3-14 in such contests in the last 35 games.
Therefore, it really is that simple. If the purple team can win or split the turnover battle, it can defeat San Francisco. Book it.
Vikings Clear Even More Cap Space
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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