Sam Darnold and an attacking defense drive the undefeated Vikings in a 23-17 win over the 49ers

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Sam Darnold’s first five years in the NFL were marked by struggles, leading him to a backup role with the San Francisco 49ers last season—just another example of a high draft pick not living up to expectations. However, Darnold is quickly reclaiming his reputation with the Minnesota Vikings.

In a game against his former team, Darnold threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns, including a standout 97-yard touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson in the second quarter. The Vikings’ defense, which was aggressive throughout the game, contributed to their 23-17 victory over the 49ers on Sunday.

Darnold’s decision to join the Vikings, who were in need of an experienced quarterback after rookie J.J. McCarthy’s season-ending knee injury last month, is proving to be a wise one. Darnold completed 17 of 26 passes, with one interception, while the Vikings (2-0) also benefited from three field goals by rookie Will Reichard and 146 rushing yards in their most efficient ground game in nearly three years.

Defensively, Blake Cashman stood out with 13 tackles, three passes defensed, and a sack, while Patrick Jones II contributed two of the Vikings’ six sacks of Brock Purdy, who also threw two interceptions and played catch-up throughout the game. Despite two red zone turnovers by the 49ers (1-1) that turned into touchdowns and a quadriceps injury that sidelined Jefferson in the third quarter, Darnold and the Vikings delivered a strong performance in his home debut, after having backed up Purdy for the NFC champions last season.

Yet, despite this impressive win for a team that was predicted to finish last in the NFC North and a noteworthy performance by a quarterback who was once considered on the decline, there’s still more to prove. Jordan Mason rushed 20 times for 100 yards and a touchdown for the 49ers, stepping up in place of All-Pro Christian McCaffrey, who is out with a lower leg injury.

The game could have been a blowout if not for Fred Warner’s defensive heroics. Warner, a three-time All-Pro linebacker who first appeared in the NFL against the Vikings in 2018, intercepted a pass at the San Francisco 10-yard line to stop a promising Vikings drive with the score at 10-0. He also forced a fumble from Aaron Jones at the 1-yard line in the fourth quarter, with the Vikings leading 20-7. Warner finished with nine tackles and two passes defensed.

George Kittle, with seven catches for 76 yards, added to his career stats, becoming the third tight end in NFL history to surpass 6,390 receiving yards by the 100-game mark, trailing only Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce.

For the Vikings, wide receiver Jordan Addison was inactive due to an ankle injury sustained the previous week, and rookie outside linebacker Dallas Turner left the game with a knee injury, though it was not considered serious.

Looking ahead, the 49ers will face the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday. The 49ers had a 10-game regular-season winning streak against the Rams, excluding the 2021-22 NFC Championship game, which ended with a 21-20 loss on January 7, 2024—Darnold’s only start for the 49ers. Meanwhile, the Vikings will host the Houston Texans on September 22, a team they have a 5-0 all-time record against.