49ers vs. Vikings: Behind enemy lines Q&A with FanSided’s Viking Age

The San Francisco 49ers visit the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1 of the 2018 NFL season, and Niner Noise talked all things about this matchup with fellow FanSided site, Viking Age.

Well, things don’t exactly start off easy for the San Francisco 49ers, who debut their 2018 regular-season campaign with a Week 1 road contest against a top NFC contender, the Minnesota Vikings.

The Vikings, hot off a 13-3 finish last year and NFC North crown, retain a top-ranked defense that looks to be even better this year. And with the addition of quarterback Kirk Cousins, who should be an upgrade over Minnesota’s 2017 hero, Case Keenum, one can see how head coach Mike Zimmer’s squad could be a favorite pick to represent the conference in Super Bowl LIII.

San Francisco, of course, looks to build upon its impressive five-game win streak to close out 2017. Yet things get more difficult now, particularly with the season-ending ACL injury suffered by former Vikings and now-49ers running back, Jerick McKinnon.

McKinnon’s injury is part of the story, but the game will have plenty of other storylines to watch this Sunday.

So, to prep fans on both sides for this bout, Niner Noise joined forces with fellow FanSided site, The Viking Age, and its site expert, Adam Carlson.

Here’s what Carlson had to say in our Q&A session.

NN: There was a pretty divided camp among 49ers fans whether or not quarterback Kirk Cousins would be a good target for San Francisco before Jimmy Garoppolo came into the picture. Now that Cousins is in Minnesota, what have you seen out of the veteran quarterback? What strengths would you identify from his game and what are the weaknesses that concern you?

"TVA: Cousins was very impressive in the team’s first preseason game, but with signing Cousins, the Vikings got stability at the quarterback position for the next three seasons and a player who may not be elite but has established himself as a solid NFL starter.He will need to improve his work in the red zone and on third downs, but he has also never had the level of talent around him in Washington that he does in Minnesota. Because of that, expectations should be quite high that Cousins will be better with the Vikings than he was with the Redskins.With his big arm and ability to read the field, Cousins should be able to get the ball to his pass catchers anywhere on the field, and his gunslinging mentality should bring more excitement and big plays to the offense."

NN: The Vikings’ top-ranked defense remains almost entirely intact after last season, even adding talent like safety George Iloka. If you were an offensive coordinator game planning against Minnesota, what would you try to accomplish and what units or players would you try to exploit?

"TVA: You forgot Sheldon Richardson, who completes a dominant defensive line, which should dominate the line of scrimmage up front, but adding him, Iloka and young talents like Mike Hughes and Holton Hill to the team that already had the number one defense in the league should be scary for opposing offenses.Minnesota has shown its weaknesses, though. They can be exploited for their aggressiveness, and can often get beat by screens, slants and rubs. With how determined the Vikings are to get to the quarterback, often times a ball carrier can force a one-on-one situation where a player like Ben Gedeon or Anthony Barr is forced to make the tackle or else a big play can be given up."

NN: From an outsider’s perspective, what would be your expectations from the 49ers this season? Are there any portions of the Niners roster that are cause for concern, not just for the Vikings, but for the rest of San Francisco’s opponents this year?

"TVA: The 49ers are a team that the casual fans aren’t giving enough respect to. Jimmy G’s success in his first NFL starts should be noticed, and the talent around them has been slowly accumulating to levels where San Francisco is a highly competitive team in the conference.It is truly the combination of experience and speed that make the 49ers receivers scary. [Pierre] Garcon and [Marquise] Goodwin each present unique challenges for NFL secondaries and can cause matchups that are extremely advantageous and these guys have the ability to make defenses pay for any mistakes.But the main concern for the Vikings has to be the 49ers defensive line. With Minnesota’s offensive line having so many new faces at new positions, they will be tested early and often by a more-than-capable defensive front.How they stand up against them will be the true question."

NN: What individual player or unit matchups are you most excited about watching during this contest?

"TVA: With the addition of Richardson, Vikings fans have to be excited about watching the defensive line get to work. While they will be tested by a solid 49ers offensive line, Minnesota has invested a lot of time, effort and money into making sure they can get to the quarterback and control the line of scrimmage. And that all starts this week.On the other hand, it will be intriguing to watch Cousins at work. During the preseason, he seemed to really like throwing to Stefon Diggs, but fans will need to see if chemistry develops between him and any of the other pass catchers in Minnesota. Also, we’ll see if Cousins can get the time to throw the ball accurately due to the offensive line."

NN: Pick two players from both squads you think will be the X-factors in determining this Week 1 outcome. Who will be the key difference makers for both the Vikings and 49ers?

"TVA: For the Vikings, the difference maker will be Trae Waynes. While he matches up better against Goodwin than Garcon, he will likely be tested on many occasions with Xavier Rhodes playing tight coverage on the other side. If he can contain his side of the field, it could be a tough day for the 49ers receivers.For San Francisco, it’s Garoppolo, but not for the reason many may think. His ability to work an effective play action will need to be on full display. Since the 49ers are without McKinnon, Jimmy G can help out his team in both the run and pass game if he can keep the Vikings defense guessing."

Bonus question: Who wins this contest and why?

"TVA: The Vikings have won their last three home openers and are undefeated in those contests when played at U.S. Bank Stadium. Plus, Minnesota has won their last two season openers, showing they take home-field advantage seriously. However, the last team to beat the Vikings in a season opener was the 49ers back in 2015, and they stomped Minnesota 20-3. Also, Jimmy G is 7-0 as a starter, so someone’s streak is coming to an end.Still, the combination of the Vikings defense and dynamic offense should be enough to get past the 49ers, but it will be very close. San Francisco will put up a great fight and keep the game competitive throughout, but it’s hard to go against the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium, where Minnesota is 13-4 all time."

Niner Noise would like to thank Adam for his Vikings-perspective insight, as well as the entire team of writers over at The Viking Age. Be sure to check out their work. They do a great job over there.

Also, add Adam to your following list on Twitter — @MNVikingZombie — as well as The Viking Age’s account — @TheVikingAge.

The 49ers and Vikings kick off at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 9 from U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.