1) The Vikings second team defense was good and fun in the first half.
2) The Vikings offense and defense in the second half weren’t good. Special teams too.
In the preseason, the winner of the first half often feels like the winner of the game. If that’s the case, the Vikings defeated the 49ers by the scintillating score of 7-6.
With 4:39 remaining in the second quarter, Sean Mannion guided the Vikings offense on a 60-yard touchdown drive. That eight-play sequence was the Vikings offensive highlight of the game. Mannion! It was remarkable to see. He threw some crisp passes. Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Trishton Jackson, and Olabisi Johnson made some nice catches, converted first downs. Ty Chandler finished the drive by bulling the final three yards into the end zone.
Other than that 60-yard drive for a touchdown, the Vikings offense didn’t do a lot. They certainly didn’t score. Some of it was missed opportunities. Most of it was not creating opportunities.
QB2: Kellen Mond vs. Sean Mannion?
Kellen Mond was the better quarterback in Preseason Game #1 against the Las Vegas Raiders. It’s tough to say which was the better quarterback in this game. Mannion had the nice touchdown drive. He damn near threw an 85-yard touchdown to Zach Davidson at the start of the fourth quarter. Open up the seam, Mannion put the ball on Davidson’s hands. Drop. That drop was probably the game’s lowlight for the Vikings. It was easily the most disappointing. I was off my couch. Thinking touchdown. It would’ve been a long chase but Davidson had only green turf in front of him. It’s only a preseason game but that drop was brutal. Mond opened the game with a nice drive. Unfortunately, that drive ended with him serving up a 49er interception. Mond closed the game with a nice drive. Unfortunately, that drive ended with him serving up a 49er interception. In both cases, if he’d thrown to his guy, touchdown. It usually works that way. In both cases, Mond had a receiver open. He just had to hit them. Instead, he threw to the wrong guy. It was as if they were fielding a punt. They didn’t even have to work for it. Mond may have done more good things than Mannion but he did two very bad things. I really don’t know what to think about the Vikings QB2 situation. I feel that Mond is the better option but it’s just a feeling. In past preseasons, I felt pretty good when the Vikings got to Kyle Sloter or Taylor Heinicke. Even Jake Browning. I get no good feelings when Mond or Mannion take the field. Even in preseason. On a play last night, Mond had pressure around him. One of the defenders even put a hand on Mond’s shoulder/arm. It wasn’t even a nuisance to him as he rocketed a throw to one of his guys on the sideline. It looked easy. So easy. It was an NFL play. It was the sort of play that starting NFL quarterbacks make. He made that play. I don’t think Mannion makes that play. Just when I feel like Mond has something, he tosses the ball to the defense. He can’t do that in practice. He can’t do that in preseason. He definitely can’t do that in a game that counts. All these feelings. Mond or Mannion? I feel like it’s Mond. But it’s just a feeling. I also feel that Kirk Cousins can not get injured and can not catch COVID (again).
That first half defense.
It was fun watching T.Y. McGill, Patrick Jones II, Brian Asamoah, Lewis Cine, Jaylen Twyman, Andrew Booth Jr., etc. racing around the field. This was the Vikings #2 defense. The 49ers #2 offense did nothing against them. The Vikings stopped the 49ers on third downs and fourth downs. The 49ers couldn’t run the ball. Thanks in part to some drops, the 49ers couldn’t pass the ball either. The Vikings defense dominated the first half. The only points scored against the Vikings first half defense were two field goals. One was made possible by a punt return fumble. The recovery set the 49ers up nicely at the Vikings 34-yard line. The 49ers offense only moved the ball three yards closer. The other field goal was a drive in the first half’s final minute that never should’ve gotten past midfield. T.Y. McGill was terrific throughout the game. Patrick Jones II was routinely in the backfield. Asamoah is simply a blast. I’m loving this team’s pass rushing stunts. My goodness, imagine those stunts with Danielle Hunter, Za’Darius Smith, Dalvin Tomlinson, Armon Watts, and Harrison Phillips.
I was a little surprised, maybe a little disappointed, when I saw rookie right guard Ed Ingram starting this game. All the starters, and then some, weren’t playing. I was hoping that Ingram had locked up the starting job. I still think that he has. His starting and playing a half was probably all about getting game snaps against a very good defensive front. He wasn’t as dominant against the 49ers as he was against the Raiders. He missed a block while leading a screen and then was worked by Javon Kinlaw for a sack. Despite those “misses” he still looked the part of a starting right guard. It’s not like Kinlaw’s a slappy fighting for a job. He’s one of the best young defensive tackles in the league. I’ve watched too damn many Vikings offensive linemen look lost, get knocked on their ass, sack their own quarterback. I feel like I’ve become an expert on horrendous offensive line play. Ingram isn’t that. Actually, he’s been the opposite of that. He knows what he’s doing out there and he’s very good at doing it. He’s the Vikings right guard.
Once Brian Asamoah, Troy Dye, Lewis Cine, Josh Metellus and the rest of the game’s starters that were controlling the middle of the field left the game, the 49ers offense started moving with ease. Whether it was Nate Sudfeld or Brock Purdy under center, the 49ers quarterbacks kept moving the chains with dump-offs to tight ends. For the game, those tight ends caught 11 passes for 110 yards. If it wasn’t for some drops, that total might’ve been closer to 150 yards.
Vikings catch a second half break.
The 49ers opened the second half by driving to the Vikings one-yard line. On second-and-goal, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy dropped the ball at the five-yard line. Vikings edge rusher Luiji Vilain scooped it up and returned it to the 19-yard line. It even looked like he could go 95 yards with the ball. Instead, it was 14 yards. The Vikings punted the ball three plays and 90 seconds later. At least the break kept the 49ers out of the end zone. Replays showed that the Vikings shouldn’t have gotten the ball at all. T.Y. McGill was lined up over the center and jumped a beat too soon. McGill’s helmet even appeared to strike the center’s helmet before the ball was snapped. It’s tough to say whether the center-quarterback exchange was disrupted and caused everything that followed. A penalty should’ve been called on McGill and the 49ers should’ve kept the ball. The Vikings caught a break on that one.
Some Vikings Stars of Preseason Game #2:
1. T.Y. McGill, DT
-1.5 sacks, 5 tackles, 1 tackle for loss
McGill was mostly unblockable for much of the game. He was routinely in the backfield and hassling the quarterback. The 49ers only played a few of their projected starters. Two of them were their guards.
2. Brian Asamoah, LB
Asamoah is so much fun to watch. When he gets “it,” and he will, he’s going to be a nightmare for offenses. Right now, it looks like he’s often reacting to the first thing he sees. When he’s right, he’s a handful for the offense.
3. Akayleb Evans
-10 tackles, 1 tackle for loss
His tackle of a 49ers running back in the backfield stopped the 49ers on fourth-and-inches. It came four plays after the 49ers intercepted Mond to open the game. It took momentum away from the opponent and gave it to his team. It was a beautifully recognized and executed play by Evans. Andrew Booth Jr. is the rookie cornerback that’s getting most of the attention. I believe that Evans is going to be a significant contributor this year and especially in coming years.
I wish that I could list some offensive stars of the game. The offense didn’t do much. 195 total yards. Two interceptions. 2/11 on third downs. A lot of the thoughts on the Vikings offensive performance might’ve changed if Zach Davidson makes that catch. That was such a nice looking play until he dropped the ball.
A few offensive players did make some plays, did some nice things:
Olabisi Johnson
Ihmir Smith-Marsette
Ty Chandler
Nick Muse
One improvement from Preseason Game #1 was the penalties. The Vikings had seven penalties in the first half against the Raiders. They had two penalties last night.
Worse than a preseason loss was the ankle injury to Andrew Booth Jr. Hopefully, it’s minor and his return to the field is soon.
One last observation.
As a resident of the central coast of California, I had the 49ers local broadcast of the game. So, I had to listen to the 49ers announcers. Greg Papa and Tim Ryan. Listening to a game called by the other team’s guys is often infuriating. The Raiders announcers last week were like that. Papa and Ryan weren’t. They clearly favored the 49ers but their favoritism wasn’t sickening. Like the Raiders guys. Papa and Ryan often acknowledged that another team was on the field with their team. Other than saying that Bryant Koback was a seventh-round pick, they were pretty much on-point with their Vikings information. The call of the 49ers duo was a pleasant surprise.
No comments:
Post a Comment