Top 5 takeaways from 49ers’ loss vs. Vikings in Week 1

No. 2: Lockdown Defense

You have to give credit to how the 49ers defense played Sunday. They started off pretty slow, but really jelled together in the second half, and especially in the fourth quarter.

Cornerback Richard Sherman only gave up one catch. Fellow corner Ahkello Witherspoon, despite giving up a long touchdown to Vikings wideout Stefon Diggs, was a shutdown corner for most of the day. K’Waun Williams looked good in the slot, and the safety tandem of Jaquiski Tartt and Adrian Colbert was solid for most of the game.

Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner was dominant with 2.5 sacks on the day, Arik Armstead was especially impressive and Cassius Marsh made some plays. The only negatives on the defense were defensive end Solomon Thomas, who had a surprisingly pedestrian day, and linebacker Brock Coyle, who was missing tackles the whole game.

Oh yeah, and rookie linebacker Fred Warner? He looks like a great. His instincts, physicality, coverage skills and tackling skills were all tweaked to perfection. Warner and Reuben Foster are going to make for a deadly inside linebacker duo in the years to come.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins’ especially strong performance in his Vikings’ debut, firing multiple perfect passes for touchdowns, was the reason why the 49ers’ defense gave up any points at all.

The defense is going to be very good this season.