49ers vs. Vikings: 3 ways San Francisco bullies Minnesota

The 49ers host the Vikings in Week 12 in a game with notable playoff implications, and the Niners can win with some serious physicality.

In early 2020, the San Francisco 49ers‘ most provocative challenge in the playoffs that year might not have been the Green Bay Packers, perhaps not even the Kansas City Chiefs, but actually the Minnesota Vikings, if for no other reason than the true balance of talent on both sides of the ball and at all levels.

A lot has changed in the year-plus since, but the Vikings still present a number of the same challenges to the Niners in what should be viewed as a decisive game for both teams’ playoff chances.

Fortunately, however, Minnesota’s defense doesn’t quite possess the same teeth it had during the 2019 season. Neither does San Francisco’s, for that matter, but there could be some specific X-factors at play for the 49ers to pull off only their second home win on the season.

And hopefully, improve to 6-5 as a result.

Both the Vikings and Niners have 5-5 records, currently, yet the Vikings remain in the No. 6 NFC playoff seed, whereas San Francisco is at No. 8 because of conference record. If the 49ers want to smash up the rankings and get back into the postseason cut, they’ll have to execute some bullying-type of play in the kind of fashion they’ve enjoyed over their recent two-game win streak.

More specifically, here are three ways the Niners can out-bully the Vikings on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.