49ers lose to Vikings in Minnesota again
49ers running back Jordan Mason (#24) right, runs for a 10-yard touchdown during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Bruce Kluckhohn/Associated Press
2024.09.15 – A relentless attacking defense fueled the Vikings again in a 23-17 victory in Minnesota over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
Blake Cashman had 13 tackles, three passes defensed and a sack. Patrick Jones II had two of the six sacks of Brock Purdy, who threw two interceptions and found himself playing from behind all game.
“We’ve got the players. We’ve got the scheme. We’ve got what it takes,” said Purdy, who went 28 for 36 for 319 yards. “It’s dropping back and executing and getting the ball into guys’ hands.”
The 49ers were playing on a short week after Monday’s season-opening win against the Jets and had traveled about 2,000 miles for a game with 10 a.m. West Coast kickoff. In addition, they were playing without running back Christian McCaffrey, the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year who was placed on injured reserve Saturday.
Running-back Jordan Mason rushed 20 times for 100 yards and a touchdown for the 49ers in another fine fill-in for All-Pro McCaffrey, who will miss at least two more games with lower leg injuries.
2024.09.5 (SF 49ers vs. MIN Vikings) Game Highlights
Linebacker Blake Cashman #51 of the Minnesota Vikings sacks 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy #13 center, during the third quarter Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Adam Bettcher/Getty Images
2024.09.5 (SF 49ers vs. MIN Vikings) Game Highlights – (FL-Highlights)
2024.09.5 (SF 49ers vs. MIN Vikings) Game Highlights – (FL-Highlights)
2024.09.5 – SF 49ers vs. MIN Vikings (NBC Sports Post Game)
2024.09.5 – SF 49ers vs. MIN Vikings (NBC Sports Post Game)
The Vikings might well have won in a runaway were it not for Fred Warner, the three-time All-Pro linebacker who made his NFL debut for the 49ers in the season opener at Minnesota in 2018.
Warner, who finished with nine tackles and two passes defensed, made a diving interception at the San Francisco 10 to thwart a promising drive with the Vikings leading 10-0. The 49ers seized the momentum with a five-play march capped with a touchdown pass from Purdy to George Kittle.
Then in the fourth quarter with the Vikings ahead 20-7, Warner jarred the ball loose from Aaron Jones at the 1-yard line at the end of an 18-yard run.
The takeaway was again followed by a scoring drive that gave the 49ers life. Their 12-play, 99-yard march ended with a 10-yard run by running back Jordan Mason (20 carries, 100 yards) that trimmed the deficit to 20-14 with about 10 minutes left.
Kittle had seven catches for 76 yards to post the third-most receiving yards (6,390) by a tight end in NFL history at the 100-game mark for his career. Rob Gronkowski (7,112) and Travis Kelce (6,762) were the only ones with more.
Midway through the first quarter, Mitch Wishnowsky’s punt was blocked by C.J. Ham, who came free up the middle, and Theo Jackson scooped the loose ball and returned it 37 yards to the 49ers’ 24-yard line. The gaffe, the first blocked punt the 49ers had allowed since Sept. 13, 2020, set up a 22-yard field goal by Will Reichard.
The 49ers responded with a 15-play, 88-yard drive that lasted 9 minutes, 18 seconds and … resulted in zero points. On 4th-and-goal from the 2-yard line, Purdy targeted wideout Jauan Jennings in the end zone, but his pass was tipped at the line before it was broken up in mid-flutter by safety Harrison Smith.
2024.09.5 – SF 49ers vs. MIN Vikings (Locked On Post Game)
49ers tight end George Kittle #85 center, celebrates after scoring on a 7-yard touchdown reception during the first half against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Bruce Kluckhohn/Associated Press
2024.09.5 – SF 49ers vs. MIN Vikings (Locked On Post Game)
2024.09.5 – SF 49ers vs. MIN Vikings (Locked On Post Game)
Two plays later, the Vikings took a 10-0 lead when QB Darnold heaved a long pass to wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who got behind Ji’Ayir Brown and George Odum and outran the safeties for the final 40 yards for a 97-yard touchdown, the longest receiving score the 49ers have allowed in their 79-season history.
Try again Niners
San Francisco lost for the eighth straight time in Minnesota, including for the second straight year after a 22-17 loss in Week 7 on a Monday night last season. The most recent win here was in 1992.
The struggles Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold endured through his first five years in the NFL relegated him to backup duty last season with San Francisco, yet another prospect failing to perform like a premium draft pick.
He’s been quickly regaining his status in Minnesota.
Darnold passed for 268 yards and two touchdowns against his former team, including a 97-yard strike in the second quarter to Justin Jefferson.
“Sam has been making a whole bunch of great decisions. We’ve got to just keep trusting in him to make those decisions,” Jefferson said.
Chief among those smart choices was to join the Vikings, who needed a veteran to stabilize the offense before turning it over to rookie J.J. McCarthy — who suffered a season-ending knee injury last month.
“The amount of work that goes into that position on your quarterback journey when everybody decides that you can not play — we always believed in him,” coach Kevin O’Connell said. “It felt awesome to watch him go do that thing.”
2024.09.5 – SF 49ers vs. MIN Vikings (Krueger & Crew Post Game)
49ers defensive end Nick Bosa sacks quarterback and former teammate Sam Darnold #14 right, of the Minnesota Vikings during the second quarter Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
2024.09.5 – SF 49ers vs. MIN Vikings (Krueger & Crew Post Game)
2024.09.5 – SF 49ers vs. MIN Vikings (Krueger & Crew Post Game)
Darnold went 17 for 26 with one interception for the Vikings (2-0), who got three field goals by rookie Will Reichard and had 146 rushing yards in their most productive (6.1 yards per attempt) ground game in nearly three years.
INJURIES
49ers: S Talanoa Hufanga (knee) missed a second straight game. His backup, Odum, was the last line of defense on Jefferson’s TD. … Coach Kyle Shanahan said “nobody knows” when McCaffrey will be back.
Vikings: WR Jordan Addison (ankle) was inactive after getting injured in the game last week. … Rookie OLB Dallas Turner left with a knee injury that wasn’t deemed serious, O’Connell said.
UP NEXT
49ers: Visit the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday. The 49ers had a 10-game regular-season winning streak against their division rival, excluding the NFC championship game in 2021-22, that ended with a 21-20 loss to the Rams on Jan. 7, 2024. That was Darnold’s only start for the 49ers.
Vikings: Host Houston on Sept. 22. They’re 5-0 all time against the Texans.
Related: SF 49ers rout the NY Jets in season opener
Related: See below – 49ers rally to beat Lions and secure Super Bowl trip
Read more at: San Francisco 49ers Media Services / More AP NFL
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