2024 Week 2: 49ers 17, Vikings 23
Minnesota played really well and earned this win, they caught a lot of breaks early on that set the stage but they had an opportunity to win and they controlled the ball game. This game started with a blocked punt in the first quarter that led to an early score. SF drove all the way down field but couldn’t convert on 3rd and 4th and goal, which turned into Justin Jefferson’s 97-yard TD. Just as SF was starting to find their footing in the second half Brock Purdy threw 2 INTs and lost a fumble, giving Minnesota good field position on all of those possessions.
Minnesota is a good and well disciplined team but are not a contender by any means. Everyone pegged this as the year the 49ers regress which is happening to their O-line a bit, but everything that could have gone wrong did… and it was still a one score game.
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QB Report:
- I don’t think that this is some kind of late-career resurgence for Sam Darnold (17/26 for 268 yards, 2 TD/ 1 INT). He looks the same to me, the only difference is he’s behind a VERY good O-line. Darnold pre-plans too many throws and stares down receivers the second he receives the snap.
- Due to all of the help SF was giving Minnesota in this game, the Vikings didn’t need to rely on Darnold, it’s not a matter of IF he blows up… but WHEN.
- Brock Purdy’s (28/36 for 319 yards, 1 TD/ 1 INT) season so far reminds me of Matt Stafford from last season. Purdy leads the league in passing after 2 games but only 1 passing TD. Last year, through 7 games Stafford was 4th in pass yards but outside of the top 10 in TDs.
WR Report:
- Sam Darnold is at least making a majority of his pre-planned throws go to Justin Jefferson (4-133-1/7), a top 3 WR in the league. The issue with this is, Week 1 against NYG and in this game Jefferson had one play that made his day stat-wise. This week it was a 97-yard touchdown. They won’t be able to keep hitting big plays week after week.
- Deebo Samuel (8-110-0/10) is the clear #1 for Purdy now, but Brandon Aiyuk (4-43-0/5) may have a big game with Samuel out. I also wouldn’t be surprised if Jauan Jennings (2-37-0/4) puts together a nice game out of nowhere.
RB Report:
Ty Chandler (10-82-0) seems to be working his way into a split with Aaron Jones (9-32-0, 5 catches for 36-0/6), as long as Darnold can keep his act together this offense should succeed behind their incredible O-line play.
D/ST Report:
- Minnesota DE Pat Jones (5 tackles, 2 sacks) has 2 sacks in each of his first two games.
image source: https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-week-2-recap-minnesota-vikings-23-san-francisco-49ers-17. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)