Three Points of Emphasis for the 49ers Against the Vikings
With the bye week over, it's time for the San Francisco 49ers to get back to work and continue their march towards the Super Bowl. The break looks to be just what the doctor ordered as linebacker Kwon Alexander and edge defender Dee Ford returned to practice this week. Assuming both suit up on Saturday, they will be key components to stopping the Vikings.
Minnesota shocked a lot of people last Sunday with their controversial 26 to 20 overtime victory in New Orleans. While eliminating the Saints removes a team who many felt would be the 49ers’ biggest roadblock on their trip to Miami, the Vikes still present a significant challenge for the Red and Gold.
A suffocating defense and explosive offense have gotten the Vikings to this point and they pose a significant threat to the 49ers. This Saturday will feature two rosters that top to bottom would probably rank in the top five of the league, which should make for a fun back and forth matchup. While there will be plenty of momentum swings, the Red and Gold can control the game if the team can accomplish these three points of emphasis.
Take advantage of the trenches
All year, San Francisco’s pass rush has proven to be one of the best in the league. With 48 sacks on the year, the team ranked in the top five for that category and earned the third-highest Pro Football Focus pass-rush grade. Adding Ford back into the equation only makes that unit more troublesome for opponents.
On the other side, while the Vikings have improved up front from a year ago, the team’s offensive line is far from an elite group. Football Outsiders ranks the team 14th in pass protection and PFF graded them as the eighth-worst in the same category.
With dynamic skill players like Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, and Dalvin Cook, Minnesota is built from the outside in. The best way to limit the production of those players is to win in the trenches. Getting pressure on the quarterback means less time Kirk Cousins has to find his talented wideouts and penetration in the running game will result in fewer big plays from Cook. The 49ers need to take advantage of how both teams are constructed to slow down the Vikings’ offense.
Wideouts need a big game
It’s no secret that the Red and Gold’s offense goes through tight end George Kittle. The first-team All-Pro selection cracked the 1,000-yard mark for the second time in as many years and has become a superstar. Against just about any other team, he should be the focal point of head coach Kyle Shanahan’s game plan but the Vikes are a slightly different story.
When it comes to covering tight ends, there aren’t many teams better at it than Minnesota. Linebacker Eric Kendricks along with Safeties Anthony Harris and Harrison Smith have led the way as the Vikings have allowed the lowest passer rating on targets to tight ends. Even more impressive, their lead over the second-place team - which coincidentally is the 49ers - is a whopping 28 points so the Purple People are really in a class of their own for this category.
Of course, this doesn’t mean to completely ignore Kittle and he can still have a decent day since he is elite in his own right. However, other receivers are going to have to win for San Francisco because the Iowa product’s opportunities might be limited. Look for Shanahan to call wide receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Deebo Samuel’s numbers early on and get the running backs involved in the passing game this weekend.
Linebackers playing sideline to sideline
Back in November, Vikings’ head coach Mike Zimmer said hiring Gary Kubiak as the assistant head coach and offense assistant was the “best thing that’s ever happened to [him].” It’s easy to see why as the team ranked sixth in the NFL with 133.3 rushing yards per game and eighth in points per game with 25.4. Both of those figures are higher than the year before and a large reason why is Kubiak’s outside zone scheme.
Perimeter rushing attacks like outside zone are designed to get the ball carrier in space with a numbers advantage, meaning more blockers than tacklers. Speedy and shifty running backs like Dalvin Cook thrive in this system hence, he had the most year of his career - 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns. The reason why this scheme is so effective is runners are able to get one on one matchups with linebackers which typically favors the offense.
The 49ers’ backers need to be able to make open-field tackles or else Cook will have a field day. Throughout the year, defending outside runs has been an issue for the Red and Gold so expect Minnesota to attack this weakness. Hopefully, the return of speedy linebacker Kwon Alexander will make a difference otherwise, Dre Greenlaw and Azeez Al-Shaair will need to step up.
