49ers vs. Vikings: 4 bold predictions for Week 11 bout
By Peter Panacy
Bold Prediction No. 3: 49ers will rush for over 200 yards vs. Vikings
Jacksonville, for all its problems, actually boasted a strong run defense, allowing an average of just 3.9 yards per rush entering Week 11, yet that didn’t stop the 49ers from attempting 42 rush attempts for 171 total yards.
The Vikings are not in the same category of run defense. Even the Jaguars have an edge there.
True, predicting a 200-yard rushing output for the Niners is pretty lofty, but we are talking about bold predictions here. Not easily obtainable ones, and the Minnesota defense allows for something like this to happen anyway.
Especially considering this unit has given up 1,270 rush yards already this season, ranked 27th, and is allowing 4.8 yards per carry, second most. Making things worse for the Vikings, one of their top run-stuffers, defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson is going to miss the game after being placed on the reserve/COVID list:
The Vikings can't escape their COVID issues. They've placed DT Dalvin Tomlinson on the Reserve/COVID list.
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) November 23, 2021
Fellow defenders Danielle Hunter and Michael Pierce are also out, too.
It’s not yet clear if San Francisco will have rookie running back Elijah Mitchell (finger) suited up for this contest. Yet that didn’t stop the 49ers from featuring wide receiver Deebo Samuel as a key contributor on the ground last week, him amassing 79 yards on eight carries with a touchdown.
Whoever is lining up in the backfield for the Niners, the modus operandi should simply be to run, run, run.
All the way to 200 total yards of rushing output.