NFL
By Steve Rogers
Week two is here and the Vikings are at home to face the San Francisco 49ers. The Vikings are riding high after an impressive week one win on the road against the New York Giants. It was a complete team win the offense was able to move the ball on the ground and through the air. Aaron Jones scored a rushing touchdown. Jones tallied 94 rushing yards on 14 carries. The addition of an effective run game adds a significant punch that was sorely lacking last year. Sam Darnold was superb in his debut as the Vikings starting quarterback. He completed 19 passes for more than 200 yards and two touchdowns. The Vikings might have found the right blend of run and pass to give them a balance of both that’s been missing since Dalvin Cook was wearing number 33. The biggest story/ surprise might be the utter dominance of the new and improved Brian Flores’s defense. The Viking’s defense was flying to the ball and racked up five sacks, and two interceptions one of which was returned for a pick-six by new linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel. Van Ginkel’s pick-six actually outscored the entire Giants team. The Viking’s defense kept the Giants out of the end zone and only gave up a pair of field goals. Can the Vikings bring that energy and success back home against the San Francisco 49ers?
San Francisco Side
The 49ers are fresh off their week one win on Monday Night Football. The last game of the week. The 49ers will be dealing with a short week. In almost double-whammy fashion the 49ers start with one less day to prepare for the Vikings but then lose another to travel to Minnesota for their first road game. The 49er’s offense is primarily trying to use its physicality with the run game to wear down opposing defenses then spreading the ball around to all the uniquely gifted skill position players in space and letting them create. It also helps to have perhaps the best multi-purpose All-Pro running back in Christian McCaffrey. However, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year was a late scratch from Monday night’s game due to a calf / Achilles issue. McCaffrey is one of the 49ers’s most important players and is dealing with an injury to one of the most important body parts the Achilles. It’s only week two of a long season and the 49ers are trying to run it back to another Super Bowl appearance and possibly a sixth Lombardi trophy as a franchise. They won’t be rushing McCaffrey back, so he will most likely miss this game against the Vikings. Even with all the other playmakers on the 49ers’ offense they only scored two touchdowns both of which came from their run game.
Fun Facts
The 49ers won their first five trips to the Super Bowl from the 1980s through the early 1990s. In their last three appearances, they are 0-3. The Vikings went to four consecutive Super Bowls in the 1970s. The Vikings went 0-4. The Vikings haven’t been back to one since. These two teams have faced each other 50 times with the 49ers holding a 26-24 record. The Vikings have won seven straight HOME games dating back to 1994. 1994 happens to be the last year the 49ers won the Super Bowl. The last time the 49ers won in Minnesota was 1992.
Purple Perspective
The Vikings came out week one firing on all cylinders. They put together one of the best and most complete opening-day performances across the NFL. The Vikings looked sharp steady focused poised and confident right out of the gate even on the road. The Vikings look like they’re already in mid-season form. While many teams are still working out the kinks or knocking off the rust and take the first few weeks to get rolling not the Vikings. The Vikings haven’t had a double-digit road victory in a decade. The Vikings moved the ball effectively on offense scoring three touchdowns. It capped off by a methodical 99-yard drive that showed Sam Darnold looked smooth comfortable and in control dishing the ball around to all his options. He and Justin Jefferson have developed a wonderful rapport which was on display several times on the drive first on a huge 44-yard bomb that Darnold dropped right in Jefferson’s lap that flipped the field and set up the Vikings on the Giant’s side of the field. The other was a beautiful and properly executed quick slant on fourth and goal for their first of many more to come touchdown connection(s) of the year. Darnold’s second touchdown was on a 21-yard dime delivered to Jalen Nailor.
Reunion/Resurrection/Redemption/Revenge? Tour Round Two
Sam Darnold won in his return to MetLife Stadium last week. Now in his first home game with his new home team, the Vikings are hosting Darnold’s most recent former team the 49ers. Darnold served as the 49ers primary backup quarterback. He had to learn their whole playbook on offense. He also had first-hand experience trying to operate against the 49ers’ defensive schemes all year. If ever there was a blueprint for knowing how to beat a Super Bowl runner-up/contending team it would be the guy who was on their sideline and in their locker room. Enter Sam Darnold who has been written off as a bust by most. Darnold has everything to prove and nothing to lose. Darnold is out to rebuild his career and reputation as an NFL starting quarterback and will do so with purple and gold colors.
Final Call
Both these teams are 1-0. They both won rather convincingly. The 49ers are 5.5-point favorites as of now. However, going back to the fun facts the 49er’s LAST win in Minnesota was in 1992. Their losing streak currently at seven began in 1994. The last year they won a Super Bowl. Somehow the 49ers have a kryptonite and it’s purple and gold and only found whenever they come to Minnesota. Proof is that last year they lost in Minnesota AND they lost in the Super Bowl. The 49ers relied on their kicker Jake Moody for most of their points last week. Moody went 6/6 on field goal tries. On the flip side, the Viking’s defense only allowed two field goals all game. A league-best low six total points. That’s right ZERO touchdowns allowed. The 49ers want to run the ball a lot. The Vikings shut the Giants run game to under 80 yards. My big bold prediction is multifaceted. First, the 49ers WON’T win another Super Bowl till they Win in Minnesota FIRST. Secondly, that will NOT be this Sunday as the Vikings will again be stifling on defense and equally efficient on offense to play the role of home underdog spoiler. The Vikings will rise victorious with a score of 26-23. Thirdly, will this be the catalyst that breaks the curse for the Vikings to finally win their first Super Bowl? Stay tuned right here for all the latest news of the North.
