After seeing off the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions in Weeks 1 and 2, few would have predicted the San Francisco 49ers would fall to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3. Yet, due to a young quarterback stepping up and a smart game plan to counter the best front seven in football, that’s exactly what happened.
After 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh seemingly found the cheat code for unlimited time outs and challenges, the game’s main talking point could have been the officiating, however, the Vikings were able to hang on and allow the focus to stay on their big win. The game featured big displays from both teams, so with that in mind, let’s take a look at the key performances in this one.
San Francisco – Three Performances of Note
Mixed Bag in the Run Game
Chasing the Vikings lead, the 49ers may not have been able to run the ball as much as they would have liked, however they found some success when they did, averaging 4.5 yards per carry on the day. Both of the forced missed tackles running back Frank Gore (-0.7) managed came when running outside the left tackle. This was where 27 of his 63 rushing yards, and 21 of his 38 yards after contact, also occurred. The only blight on Gore’s day was a big one, with a costly fumble on 1st–and-10 with 14:10 left in the fourth quarter which killed the momentum the 49ers were building. That fumble, forced by Vikings safety Jamarca Sanford, ended a promising San Francisco drive and allowed the Vikings to begin to close the game out.
Corners Make It Easy
The glass half full view on the play of 49ers cornerbacks Carlos Rogers (-2.3) and Tarell Brown (-1.7) is that they combined to give up just one completion of more than 20 yards. Given how the Vikings were content to take what the 49ers were giving them coverage-wise, we’re not inclined to agree with that view. Rogers didn’t have a single play in coverage where we gave him a positive grade, giving up a reception on 5-of-6 throws into his coverage and being called on a penalty that resulted in a first down. Brown also allowed five receptions from the six throws he faced and he too failed to make any plays in coverage that warranted a positive grade. Four of the receptions he gave up went for first downs, allowing the Vikings to methodically drive down the field.
Linebackers Lacking
We’re used to coming away impressed with the 49ers' quartet of linebackers, but while all of them graded positively on Sunday, they failed to make the big plays that usually make them stand out. Outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks (+3.3) finished the game strongly with two fourth-quarter force fumbles but also went through the middle of the game without really making his presence felt (especially rushing the passer). Opposite Brooks, Aldon Smith (+1.8) was able to take advantage of rookie left tackle Matt Kalil (-2.1), registering four quarterback hurries against him, but his lofty pressure totals were ably assisted on other occasions, as the Vikings struggled to deal with him stunting inside Charlie Johnson, and opted not to pick him up on a couple of occasions. Inside, neither Patrick Willis (+1.3) or Navorro Bowman (+0.3) had a particularly bad day, combining for 10 defensive stops, but again there was a lack of plays that grabbed your attention from two players we’ve grown accustomed to seeing them from. When you consider the Vikings' line focused on getting bodies on Justin Smith and Ray McDonald, giving the 49ers' linebackers less shedding to do than we’ve seen at times, the results weren’t quite what we would have expected.
Minnesota – Three Performances of Note
Ponder Steps Up
While it would be a stretch to say that it was a performance for the ages, Christian Ponder (+3.3) put forth the kind of display that made you truly think he could lead this Vikings team to success. With just four negatively graded passes, he avoided the mistakes that could have allowed the 49ers back into the game while taking what San Francisco were giving him. His two touchdowns passes to tight end Kyle Rudolph were impressive but it was his long scramble for a score that stood out the most. On 1st-and-10 with 5:39 left in the first half he took off when faced with pressure, making a nice cut to turn upfield before running through an attempted tackle by Donte Whitner and diving towards the goal line. It was the exclamation mark on a day where his decision making was as good as it has ever been, and he used his talents when the opportunities presented themselves.
Allen Breaks Out
After a quiet start to the season, defensive end Jared Allen (+3.0) got the sack he’d been clamouring for through the first two games. He gave 49ers left tackle Joe Staley problems in pass protection, beating the former first-round draft pick for a hit and a hurry to go with the aforementioned sack. The sack came on the 49ers' final offensive play with 1:41 left in the game. Allen beat Staley inside and not only sacked Alex Smith, but also forced a fumble which was recovered by Brian Robison to seal the win. You could nitpick and argue that he didn’t have much impact against the run, with just two positively graded plays, however his performance as a pass rusher, not least in forcing the turnover that sealed the game, was enough to make this his best performance in the first three weeks of the season.
Knowing Your Limitations
The Vikings were smart enough to know that they, like most of the teams in the league, don’t have the personnel to match the 49ers man to man on defense. They spent most of the game double-teaming the defensive ends, Smith and McDonald, and had enough success that they were able to rack up 146 yards on the ground, albeit in small chunks. It was always going to be a tough task against a formidable 49ers defense and when they were forced to deal with them one-on-one, as opposed to double teams, they got little joy. Brandon Fusco (-3.9) in particular struggled, failing to get anything done at the second level in the running game and giving up four hurries as a pass blocker. A victory for a coaching staff that adjusted to their opposition.
Game Notes
— Chad Greenway’s two-sack performance will likely garner him consideration for the NFC Defensive Player of the Week award. He’s unlikely to feature in our team of the week however as, while he played well, one of those sacks came from Smith falling over, and the other from him refusing to throw the ball away. A good display, but the hype that followed was a little bit of box score madness.
— On 16 of Ponder’s 22 drop backs from under center, the Vikings used play action.
— Toby Gerhart (-3.6) had three fumbles on just eight carries – not what you need when you’re trying to run out the clock.
PFF Game Ball
The best performance of Christian Ponder’s young career was the difference between the two teams. He showed poise and avoided mistakes while adding that touchdown run to stretch the game.
Follow Gordon on Twitter: @PFF_Gordon
© 2025 PFF - all rights reserved.