49ers Will Bounce Back Against Vikings

49ers vs. Vikings, 8:15 ET

We had a really nice football weekend with all three plays coming home for us and now we look for a perfect NFL week with a win on Monday Night Football. We've actually been pretty good the past two weeks and I'm looking to keep it rolling. Tonight we get a primetime matchup between two playoff teams from last season as the 49ers take on the Vikings in Minnesota.

Coming off of last week, you have to imagine the stress on the 49ers team was to refocus. Last week, they ended up losing their quest for their perfect season as the Cleveland Browns took them down. It wasn't a terrible game from San Francisco, but a missed field goal (one that absolutely should've been converted) cost them the game. They still haven't allowed a significant amount of points in any game, but their offense struggled as they lost Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey during the game. Tonight, it is expected that McCaffrey will be in the game, but Samuel has been ruled out. That should mean an increased amount of targets for Brandon Aiyuk. The Minnesota defense can be picked apart by most quarterbacks and that should result in a solid game from Aiyuk. Maybe I'll be called out on this later, but I am not a big believer in Brock Purdy. He reminds me a lot of a former 49ers pick, one chosen 1st overall, not last, Alex Smith. Smith was marked as a game managers and that's what I view Purdy as. Having McCaffrey in the backfield should help, even if he is a bit of a decoy in this one.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 15: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings throws a pass against the New York Giants during the second half in the NFC Wild Card playoff game at U.S. Bank Stadium on January 15, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

Last season, the Vikings lost three games in the regular season. We are in Week 7 and they have lost four games already. Here's the thing, last season, they excelled in close, one-score, games. This season, they've already lost all four games by seven or fewer points. I know I said their defense can be picked apart, and I stand by that comment, but they are trending a bit more positively lately. They held Kansas City (albeit a bit banged up Chiefs team) to just 27 points and haven't allowed more than 13 points in two of the past three contests. My biggest concern is how will the Vikings keep up with the 49ers in this game without Justin Jefferson in it? I know they just lost last week, but that probably makes the 49ers defense even more fired up for this one. With Kirk Cousins you have to expect one or two mistakes a game - they don't always result in interceptions, but the 49ers should capitalize on this and not having to deal with facing the best receiver in football.

There aren't many aspects of this game that make me think the Vikings can win the game. I also am not sure they will keep it that close. My expectation is that the 49ers come into this game with a really aggressive gameplan defensively. Cousins might be a better quarterback than Purdy, but the defense of San Francisco is so good it is hard to argue in favor of Cousins having a big game. I'm going to take the 49ers -6 in this one.

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