It’s only Week 2, but the NFL has proven once again that you never know what’s going to happen on any given Sunday. Good thing we’ve got you covered. FOX Sports’ NFL experts provide the biggest takeaways from every Sunday game and what they mean for each team going forward.
VIKINGS 23, 49ERS 17
49ers: We thought the 49ers were the NFL’s most complete team. But maybe we were missing something. Against the Vikings, we saw two weaknesses in San Francisco that we’re not accustomed to seeing: The team’s pass defense looked unimpressive, and the team’s pass-protection looked even worse. Quarterback Brock Purdy took six sacks and threw an interception — he also a number of balls swatted near the line of scrimmage. His final stat line (28-for-36 for 319 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) doesn’t quite show how much he struggled to get the ball downfield. On the flip side, the 49ers couldn’t get Sam Darnold off the field, particularly on third down. The Vikings were 7 of 12 on third downs and 3 of 3 on their gotta-have-it drive where they scored a field goal that put the game out of reach. Are the 49ers’ weaknesses in defending and protecting the pass a one–game mirage? Or are they a sign of things to come?
Vikings: Darnold … doesn’t need his supporting cast? Minnesota had one the NFL’s best and most promising pass-catching groups in Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson. But by the second half in Week 2, Darnold had none of them. He instead had to throw to receiver Jalen Nailor and running back Aaron Jones. And you’d think that would have Darnold falling apart, particularly against the San Francisco defense. But he was fine — good even. After Jefferson’s injury, Darnold was 6 for 7 for 64 yards. When Purdy and company started knocking on the door, Darnold remained composed and built a lead with a late field goal. If Minnesota can get a quality win like this without its stars, imagine what the Vikings can do with them. They’re in the conversation to be the…
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Publish date : 2024-09-15 21:11:50
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