What we learned as the 49ers’ mistakes led to their loss to the Vikings originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

RESULT

MINNEAPOLIS – The 49ers didn’t have to play a perfect game to finish Week 2 with a win over the Minnesota Vikings.

Instead, the 49ers played absolutely terrible football with a plethora of mistakes across the board.

The 49ers had little chance on offense, and the defense and special teams also had their share of mishaps in the 23-17 loss to the Vikings on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium.

The 49ers’ record drops to 1-1 after their impressive win in the 2024 NFL season opener against the New York Jets.

The organization’s losing streak away from home continued on Sunday against the Vikings.

The 49ers have not won in Minnesota since 1992, a streak that now includes eight straight losses.

Here are the takeaways from the 49ers loss:

Breakdowns across the board

The 49ers did themselves no favors by falling behind by 10 points in the first half, and they had a hard time getting back into the game as they made even more mistakes.

Special teams and defense allowed two spectacular plays that forced the 49ers to get out of that hole for most of the game.

The first collapse came at the end of the team’s second possession of the game.

Vikings special teams player CJ Ham rushed through the gap on the right side between Robert Beal and protector George Odum to block Mitch Wishnowsky’s punt.

Trishton Jackson picked up the ball and returned it 37 yards to the 49ers’ 24. The Vikings had to settle for a field goal to score the first points of the game.

Minnesota extended the lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter when quarterback Sam Darnold and Justin Jefferson, the NFL’s highest-paid wide receiver, took advantage of 49ers safeties Odum and Ji’Ayir Brown for a 97-yard touchdown.

It was the longest play allowed by the 49ers defense in franchise history, replacing a 96-yard pass in the organization’s first NFL season in 1950.

The blocked punt was the first against the 49ers since Ezekiel Turner of the Arizona Cardinals broke through and blocked Wishnowsky in Week 1 of the 2020 season.

The 49ers nearly had another disastrous play on special teams when rookie Jacob Cowing botched a punt deep in 49ers territory. After a wild scramble that saw multiple players from both teams have their chances, Isaac Yiadom recovered the ball for the 49ers and retained possession.

The offense also made a few mistakes. Quarterback Brock Purdy’s interception in the third quarter led to a Vikings touchdown, bringing the score to 20-7.

On the next series, Purdy dropped the ball while throwing and the Vikings recovered the fumble. This loss was not costly as Fred Warner forced a fumble at the goal line.

Warner gets the big hit In reporting

All-Pro Fred Warner has long been the best middle linebacker in the game.

And if the first two games of the season are any indication, he could take his game to an even higher level in 2024.

Warner made a great defensive play in the second quarter when the 49ers needed him. The Vikings led 10-0 and were looking to extend their lead.

Warner dropped into an intermediate zone and tricked Darnold into throwing over the middle to former 49ers receiver Trent Sheffield.

Warner rotated his hips and stretched toward the middle of the field for the ninth regular season interception of his career.

He returned the ball 25 yards, setting up the 49ers’ first touchdown drive of the game.

The Vikings’ first drive of the game ended when Warner intercepted a pass intended for running back Aaron Jones on third-and-10.

Warner prevented a touchdown late in the third quarter when he knocked the ball out of Jones’ grasp at the goal line. Yiadom intercepted it. It was the 13th forced fumble of Warner’s career and the second in two games this season.

For Riverboat Kyle, the risk does not pay off

Coach Kyle Shanahan showed an uncharacteristically aggressive side at the start of the second quarter when he kept the offense on the field for the fourth attempt.

It was a fourth-and-3 situation at the Minnesota 45-yard line, and Purdy hit Jauan Jennings for a 25-yard gain.

But two more gambles did not pay off and the 49ers lost the ball in two consecutive possession phases.

Shanahan decided not to attempt a short field goal on fourth-and-2. Andrew Van Ginkel and Harrison Smith broke up the pass intended for Jennings.

On the next possession, the 49ers trailed 10-0 and tried fourth-and-2 at the Minnesota 43-yard line. Purdy couldn’t find anyone open and managed just 1 yard on a run.

Last year, the 49ers attempted a fourth down just 13 times in 17 games and converted seven of those attempts.

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