Kevin Seifert and Nick Waggoner October 23, 2023, 11:36 PM ET6 minutes read
Jordan Addison shines with a 2-TD performance at MNF
Jordan Addison excelled with seven receptions, 123 yards and two touchdowns as the Vikings beat the 49ers.
MINNEAPOLIS – Playing another close game, the Minnesota Vikings pulled out a decisive 22-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night at US Bank Stadium.
Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins threw two touchdown passes to rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison, while Minnesota intercepted 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy twice in the fourth quarter, improving its record to 3-4. The 49ers (5-2) have suffered two straight losses after starting the season 5-0 despite two more touchdowns from running back Christian McCaffrey.
Minnesota Vikings
It will be difficult for the Vikings to contemplate the kind of midseason selloff that many fans and media members were expecting. Their Monday night win over the heavily favored 49ers moved them to .500, and with a less impressive schedule, the Vikings will be more focused on qualifying for the playoffs than swapping out veterans and settling for a high first-round pick to settle for the 2024 draft.
It wasn’t over until safety Camryn Bynum stopped two late 49ers drives with interceptions. But as the Vikings look ahead to games against the Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints – followed by the possible return of star wideout Justin Jefferson – they may believe their bad luck is over.
All seven of the Vikings’ games this season have been decided by one score. They famously posted an 11-0 record in such competitions last season. Who knows what could come next.
Buy/Sell on a Breakout Performance: Anyone who followed Vikings training camp knew Addison was the one. Cousins said this recently, adding, “He’s a great player.” And all it took was one injury to Jefferson for the rest of the NFL world to see it. Addison caught seven passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns on Monday night, including a 60-yarder just before halftime that he stole from 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward. Addison’s six receiving touchdowns rank second in the NFL, and his 14-yard catch on third down at the 2:19 mark – after returning from a run with cramps – helped seal the game.
Worrying trend: The Vikings scored on their first possession for a turnover for the fourth time this season — more than any other team in a full season, let alone seven games since 2020 — when Ward deflected a pass intended for Addison. The loss of the ball didn’t hurt from a scoring perspective, as the 49ers got right back to it on the ensuing possession. Suffice it to say, it’s an incredibly dangerous way to live.
QB breakdown: Cousins entered this game having won just two of 12 career starts on “Monday Night Football,” tied for the most losses in NFL history among quarterbacks with at least 10 such starts. But he performed admirably against one of the NFL’s best defenses on a night when the Vikings clearly didn’t trust their running game. Cousins completed 35 of 45 passes for 378 yards and was still throwing in the final minutes as the Vikings tried to burn time on the clock.
Even though the Vikings led throughout, Cousins threw 45 passes against just 19 runs from the running backs. – Kevin Seifert
Next game: at Packers (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Abbie Parr/AP Photo
San Francisco 49ers
Through the first five weeks of the season, the 49ers seemed nearly unbeatable. But two weeks is an eternity in the NFL, and the promise of a dominant run can quickly turn into the harsh reality of how hard it is to win consistently in this league.
After the loss to the Vikings, the Niners lost two games in a row for the first time in exactly a year. And this series of defeats also tests whether the 49ers really have the courage to win a championship.
Over the next seven weeks, the Niners will again play the Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle. Their championship hopes depend on how they bounce back from another disappointing away defeat.
QB breakdown: After Purdy’s worst game as a pro in last week’s loss to the Cleveland Browns, many wondered how he would bounce back this week. The answer? Purdy was largely unfazed for three quarters, but made two crucial errors down the stretch. With the Niners pushing for a possible touchdown lead, Purdy threw a throw to Jauan Jennings that Bynum easily intercepted with 5:30 left. He threw another ball to Bynum on the Minnesota 22 with 25 seconds left as the 49ers tried again to get the go-ahead score.
On a night where the Niners had some issues, Purdy wasn’t their biggest threat, but his interceptions came at the worst possible time. He finished 21 of 30 for 272 yards and a touchdown pass with the two picks for an 81.5 passer rating.
Decisive game: With 17 seconds left in the first half, Niners defensive coordinator Steve Wilks launched a cover-0 blitz that left Minnesota facing a third-and-6 on its 40th of the game. The Vikings had no timeouts and any tackle in bounds would likely have ended the half.
But the blitz failed to materialize and Ward was left in one-on-one coverage with Addison at the 49ers’ 37. While Ward nearly intercepted Cousins’ pass, Addison intercepted it and ran for a game-winning 60-yard run. changing touchdown. According to Next Gen Stats, it was a defensive call that raised eyebrows, not just because of the result, but also because it was the first seven-man pass rush in the final 30 seconds of a half in opposing territory in the NFL in week 11 of 2020 was . And the Niners paid dearly for it.
Worrying trend: Niners kicker Jake Moody was perfect through the first five weeks but had his first two errors last week against Cleveland, including a potential game-winner late in the fourth quarter. Those problems continued into Monday night when Moody missed a 40-yard field goal in the first half. To his credit, he later scored on a 55-yard attempt. But the missed shots in the 40-yard range are increasing.
The 49ers selected Moody in the third round with the idea that he should handle the kicking duties now and in the future. But this team is in win-now mode and it’s fair to wonder how patient they can be with Moody before looking elsewhere. – Nick Wagoner
Next game: vs. Bengals (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday)