Vikings vs. 49ers: Minnesota Grades, Notes & Quotes
The Minnesota Vikings did not play well against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football—and this is putting it nicely. Minnesota was overmatched from start to finish in just about every phase of the game. This showed on the scoreboard, as the 49ers handed the Vikings their first loss of the year with a final score of 20-3.
Coming into Monday night, head coach Mike Zimmer and his defense had to know they needed to stop the run, but behind a very impressive offensive line—especially given its losses—Carlos Hyde ran all over what appeared to be a very tired Vikings front seven.
San Francisco marched down the field on its opening drive, but Andrew Sendejo blocked the ensuing Phil Dawson field-goal attempt, which marked one of the few Minnesota highlights. Vance McDonald made arguably the biggest play of the night, chasing down Marcus Sherels following the block.
The Vikings didn't cash in on the great special teams play, as kicker Blair Walsh continued to struggle, missing a 44-yard field-goal attempt after the offense failed to sustain a drive.
From missed blitz pickups to drops and stupid penalties, the first half was riddled with mistakes by both clubs. The 49ers, however, had the last laugh, scoring on a beautiful 10-yard run by Hyde to put them up 7-0 heading into the locker room.
Walsh converted a 37-yard field-goal attempt shortly after Phil Dawson made good on his second attempt after the block. But, the 49ers shut down any chance of the Vikings making things interesting late with a textbook 10-play, 80-yard drive capped off by another impressive 17-yard touchdown by Hyde.
Teddy Bridgewater, who finished 21-of-32 with 231 passing yards, airmailed a pass over the head of tight end Kyle Rudolph and into the hands of San Francisco cornerback Tramaine Brock, which essentially sealed an opening-week loss for the Vikings.
In his return to the field, running back Adrian Peterson finished the night with just 31 rushing yards on 10 carries. He added 21 receiving yards on three receptions for a total of 52 yards on the night.
Hyde gave Minnesota's defense trouble all night, totaling 162 rushing yards and a pair of scores to lead San Francisco to victory. Colin Kaepernick added 41 yards on the ground as well as 165 through the air in a turnover-free outing for the 49ers field general.
Position Grades
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| Position | Grade |
|---|---|
| QB | C+ |
| RB | C+ |
| WR | B+ |
| TE | B |
| OL | C- |
| DL | D- |
| LB | C+ |
| DB | B- |
| Special Teams | D |
| Coaching | D |
It was obviously a tough night for the Vikings, but there were a few positional groups that played well.
Beginning with the quarterback position, Bridgewater didn't put together a very memorable performance as a whole, but he did do a few things well. His deep pass to wide receiver Mike Wallace—which pass interference likely should have been called on—was nearly perfect. His decision-making was subpar, however, as he missed an open Jarius Wright running up the seam and instead scrambled for a few yards.
Bridgewater also floated multiple attempts, with his interception on a pass intended for Kyle Rudolph being the most notable. Above all, the Vikings quarterback didn't do enough to win—which will always earn the quarterback position a lackluster grade—but he did make a few strong plays to build upon.
Adrian Peterson did not look like himself, simply put. He wasn't given the ball as often as one would have expected, but a 3.1 per-carry average on 10 attempts is unacceptable by his standards. San Francisco continues to have his number, as Peterson has totaled just 205 yards in four games against the 49ers during his career (per Pro-Football-Reference.com).
However, Jerick McKinnon did look very good in limited action, making defenders miss and showing good vision. Minnesota still needs more from this position, though, particularly from Peterson.
One of the few bright spots of the night, the Vikings wide receiver group played very well—especially Wallace. The new Minnesota wide receiver was open almost all night, totaling six catches for 63 receiving yards, and he could have had a touchdown as well had it not been for an uncalled pass interference in the end zone.
Charles Johnson, who was absent through most of the evening, made a few strong plays when targeted. It's not expected, but it would have been nice to see him come down with a tough catch in coverage during Minnesota's first offensive drive. The newly extended Wright also added 27 yards—on a late-first-half completion—to round out a solid opening-week showing for this positional group.
Continuing with bright spots, Rudolph played exceptional against, what proved to be, a strong San Francisco defense. He registered five catches for 53 yards and also looked solid when he was in as a blocker. Rhett Ellison, however, had a tough night, dropping a key third-down pass.
Minnesota's offensive line didn't play poorly when facing four rushers, but the group was dreadful in its blitz pickups. Brandon Fusco, rookie T.J. Clemmings and replacement starter Joe Berger particularly struggled in this area. In total, the Vikings offensive line allowed five sacks, continuing the unit's subpar outlook from 2014.
The injuries to starters Phil Loadholt and John Sullivan make the performance more understandable, but this group must play better; the NFL does not make excuses or feel sorry for injury-ridden organizations.
If one positional group is to blame for this loss, it's the Vikings defensive line. Hyde was able to run all over this group, as the San Francisco offensive line had its number all night long. Everson Griffen played well in short spurts, but he was not the pass-rushing weapon Minnesota needs him to be and was also a bit "jumpy" on hard counts.
Defensive tackles Sharrif Floyd and Linval Joseph were nonexistent as well—especially against the run—and Brian Robison continued his subpar 2014 season into Week 1. One has to wonder how long his leash is with second-year third-rounder Scott Crichton playing well when called upon on Monday night.
As a group, the linebackers also played very poorly. Without Anthony Barr—who had an outstanding game—the middle level of the Vikings defense earns a F. Gerald Hodges was underwhelming in his first opportunity at being a starter, and fellow starter Chad Greenway continued to show his age.
Rookie Eric Kendricks, known for his skill in man-to-man coverage, was burned multiple times—most notably when matched up with tight end Vernon Davis in a 3rd-and-long situation. It was a tough week for this group, which may lead to some changes sooner rather than later.
The Vikings defensive backs actually didn't play as poorly as their grade suggests, but Kaepernick's ability to extend the play (and change his "launch angle," as ESPN broadcaster Trent Dilfer frequently noted) opened up coverage consistently throughout the night.
Cornerback Xavier Rhodes played solid—minus the soft holding penalty he received—and Terence Newman came up to make a few nice tackles, showing he can still play at a high level. Safety Harrison Smith absolutely de-cleated a scrambling Kaepernick for another of the few Minnesota highlights from Monday night.
Minnesota's special teams grade is saved by Andrew Sendejo's blocked punt, as the collective group was dreadful once again. Walsh missed a key field-goal attempt, which would have given Minnesota an early lead, and punter Jeff Locke failed to pin San Francisco deep in its own territory when given the opportunity. The Vikings need to figure out their special teams, as this unit looks to be a major Achilles' heel early on.
The Vikings coaching staff was completely out-coached on Monday night. Zimmer's team was jittery and overexcited, which led to poor play and ultimately a loss. Additionally—and we'll dive deeper into this later—it appeared Minnesota bought into its offseason hype, which is something a team's head coach is in charge of keeping in check.
Furthermore, offensive coordinator Norv Turner did not call a good game, which, again, severely hurt the Vikings' chance of leaving Levi's Stadium with a Week 1 road win. San Francisco and its defensive coordinator, Eric Mangini, deserve credit for their game plan and execution, but Turner has to be better moving forward.
Adrian Peterson Looked Rusty
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Minnesota's 2012 MVP award winner was painfully underwhelming in his return to the gridiron. Adrian Peterson totaled just 52 yards (31 rushing, 21 receiving) on Monday night and overall did not look like the player fans have become accustomed to seeing.
One of Peterson's greatest attributes as a runner is his decisiveness. Against the 49ers, Peterson appeared to second-guess himself in the backfield on multiple occasions, which is something that likely was due to being off the field for quite some time. In addition, he didn't hit the hole with the power and ferociousness that he has shown in the past—at least not with consistency.
There were a few plays, however, that showed he still has plenty left in the tank. After catching a short pass over the middle, Peterson carried multiple San Francisco defenders roughly eight yards to ensure a first down for the Vikings. But, unfortunately for Minnesota, these plays were few and far between.
Peterson also was a liability in pass protection, but this is not exactly anything new.
The issue here doesn't appear to be Peterson's age or a diminished skill set, as he occasionally still showed plenty of burst and athleticism. It just may take him some time to get used to being on the field again.
Being on the field is critical to developing a rapport with the offensive line, reading blocks and making snap decisions on where to go with the football. These are all specific areas Peterson struggled with on Monday night, as San Francisco did not allow him to carry onto the field the momentum of returning to the game he loves.
In hindsight, a few preseason carries probably wouldn't have hurt his return to game action. Playing the 49ers—the one team that seemingly has Peterson all figured out—in Week 1 certainly doesn't help his cause either.
Don't count Peterson out; simply understand that it may take him a couple of weeks to shake off the rust.
Silver Linings
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It's hard not to overreact after a performance like this, but don't panic just yet. Despite the painful loss, Minnesota was able to do a few things well against San Francisco.
Teddy Bridgewater Accurate on Deep Pass Attempt
Teddy Bridgewater threw a beautiful ball to wide receiver Mike Wallace on his lone attempt at throwing the deep pass in Monday night's loss. 49er safety Antoine Bethea unequivocally interfered with Wallace prior to the pass reaching its mark, which resulted in an incompletion, but the throw itself is a microcosm of how far Minnesota's young signal-caller has come in this regard.
Bridgewater has been scrutinized since his college days for his (lack of) arm strength and downfield accuracy, but this particular attempt at a long completion was a thing of beauty.
Mike Wallace Shows Full Route Tree
Many—myself included—entered the season believing that Charles Johnson was the under-the-radar No. 1 receiver in Minnesota, but Mike Wallace appears to be the go-to option. Wallace did a great job running routes at every level, getting open on short, intermediate and vertical patterns.
The former Miami Dolphin and Pittsburgh Steeler caught everything thrown in his general vicinity and truly looked the part of a No. 1 receiving option.
The Legend of Anthony Barr Continues to Grow
Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr was everywhere on Monday night; he finished the evening with 10 solo tackles and 12 total. While he did not register a sack, Barr pressured Kaepernick all night and kept him (mostly) in check as a runner. His highlight-reel effort came late in the game, when he burst through the 49ers offensive line on a perfectly read snap to nail running back Carlos Hyde in the backfield for a loss.
Barr was explosive, diagnosed plays quickly and looked vastly improved in the tackling department. The second-year linebacker played exceptional from beginning to end, even if the rest of the Vikings' crew of linebackers did not.
Matt Kalil Looked Improved
The biggest issue for Minnesota last year was its offensive line and, more specifically, left tackle Matt Kalil. On Monday night, however, it was the interior line that was the real issue, as Kalil put together a fairly solid overall effort.
He did allow a few pressures, but the fourth-year offensive lineman was not directly responsible for any of the team's five sacks allowed, and he simply looked much better than he had been in recent years since being named to the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2012.
Kalil wasn't perfect, but there certainly was notable improvement here.
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Vikings Not Ready for Prime Time
4 of 5
Minnesota's head coach didn't believe the Vikings came out flat, but he did not shy away from the fact that his group may have bought too much into its offseason hype.
"Everybody has been talking about us for 11 months," Mike Zimmer said during his postgame press conference (available via Vikings.com). "Maybe we thought we were a little bit better than we were."
Zimmer was clearly deflated by his team's performance against the 49ers, as the group did not show any signs of the improvement analysts had been suggesting all summer.
"Maybe we're just not ready for prime time, yet," he also noted.
The Vikings did not play well in every phase of Monday night's game; it's as simple as that. In addition, Minnesota has historically struggled in prime-time games—especially recently.
"It's a reality check," quarterback Teddy Bridgewater said during his press conference (also via Vikings.com). "We know now after tonight's performance that we are nowhere near as good as everyone said we were."
Bridgewater did not say he believes he and his teammates bought too much into the Vikings' offseason hype, but he was not afraid to note the fact that Minnesota has plenty of work to do to reach the level many have suggested this team is (or should be) at.
As a whole, it was a tough night for the Vikings and their fans, as the team continues to struggle when placed in the spotlight. The team's coach and quarterback may be onto something here regarding the Vikings' ability to play when the spotlight is brightest.
Not a Good Night for Teddy Bridgewater
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Minnesota's second-year quarterback finished the evening 21-of-32 (65.6 percent) with 231 passing yards and an interception on a very poorly thrown ball.
Teddy Bridgewater's stat line certainly doesn't suggest a prolific performance by any means, but both he and his head coach were quick to state that he played very poorly, a far heavier condemnation than that of the box score.
"I don't know if it's all about the offensive line. Some of it was Teddy," Mike Zimmer said during his press conference (via Vikings.com). "Teddy did not play good."
Naturally, Zimmer was next asked about what he saw from his quarterback that suggested such a poor overall performance and allowed him to confidently come down hard on Bridgewater.
"He was sped up," Zimmer said. "He looked unsure. He was concerned about all the things that defensively they were doing. It just didn't—it did not look like him."
When Bridgewater came to the podium a few minutes following his head coach, he was quickly asked if he agreed with Zimmer's assessment of his play. He did not disagree with Zimmer's assessment whatsoever, shouldering the subpar performance.
"I definitely agree," Bridgewater told the media (via Vikings.com). "I missed some easy throws tonight, throws that were behind the sticks or plays that could have resulted in big plays. I just have to continue to try to get better each week."
The Louisville product went on to cite multiple specific examples of when he missed opportunities, again stating that he needs to be better—and is capable of doing so.
"It's obvious that there were some throws out there today," Bridgewater continued. "I can think of one, with Kyle Rudolph; he ran across the field, and I just overthrew him or up the seam, I overthrew him also. Those are throws that I make in practice 9 out of 10 times."
Bridgewater did not play great on Monday night, and he certainly left a few plays on the field, but his performance was not completely terrible. He missed some big throws, and, at the end of the day, he didn't do enough to win the game, but the second-year passer didn't lose the game for his team by himself either.
The Vikings offensive line didn't give him much help—especially the interior trio—and Minnesota's running game was essentially nonexistent. Bridgewater's receivers did a fairly nice job of getting open for him.
As a whole, however, Zimmer and Bridgewater may have graded the young quarterback's effort a little too harshly, as he did play OK for the hand he was dealt. But this is something those who follow the team should have come to expect from Zimmer and Bridgewater; failure always receives a dreadful, unfiltered performance grade.
Look for a marked improvement from Bridgewater and Co. in Week 2 as the Vikings look to get back on track at home against the Detroit Lions.
Robert Reidell can be found on Twitter @RobertReidellBT when he isn't busy sulking over Vikings losses.
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