A 39-yard field goal by Will Reichard didn’t contribute to the margin of victory, but for Minnesota quarterback Sam Darnold, the points were crucial in a 23-17 victory over the 49ers.
Brock Purdy, who shared the quarterback room with Darnold last season, had just put the 49ers on the board with a 7-yard touchdown pass to George Kittle to cut the Vikings’ lead to 10-7 with 1:53 left in the first half.
To top it off, that drive came after Fred Warner intercepted a Darnold pass to get the 49ers going.
But instead of killing time and ignoring Darnold’s penchant for interceptions, Minnesota stayed aggressive. Darnold hit Jalen Nailor with an 18-yard pass on first down. He then threw a 16-yard pass to Justin Jefferson on third down and 13, ignoring an earlier sack by Nick Bosa.
Finally, Darnold made an 18-yard run up the middle and slid to the turf with three seconds left to set up Reichard’s field goal and a 13-7 halftime lead.
“I saw firsthand last year how much momentum the Niners have when they score at the end of the half,” Darnold told reporters. “We got the ball back in the second half, but that momentum can carry this team to victory most of the time. The fact that we were able to put together a two-minute drive at the end was a big moment for us.”
Darnold and Purdy both had their moments, but it was Darnold who was more effective in the most important moments. He finished 17 of 26 for 268 yards and two touchdowns, including a 97-yard touchdown pass to Jefferson and a 6-yard pass to Nailor. He had 32 yards on five carries.
Purdy completed 28 of 36 passes for 319 yards and a touchdown to Kittle and an interception. While Darnold touted his success, Purdy lamented the one that eluded him when the 49ers failed to score on a fourth-down play at the 2-yard line. The 49ers drove 83 yards on 15 plays and had a first-and-goal at the 5-yard line with 45 seconds left in the quarter.
With a first down and goal at the 4-yard line, Purdy threw an incomplete ball to Brandon Aiyuk and Jordan Mason lost a yard at the 5-yard line. On third down, Purdy threw a short ball to George Kittle for three yards at the 2-yard line.
Coach Kyle Shanahan went for the touchdown and Purdy, who was directly in a zone blitz, had his ball intended for Jauan Jennings deflected incomplete. Minnesota recovered the ball, allowing Darnold to score 97 yards and a touchdown to Jefferson.
“We felt like we could have scored on that play and I loved how aggressive Kyle was on fourth-and-2,” Purdy said. “They didn’t blitz, a guy got free, they got a hand on it and deflected the ball. It was a good defensive play and I was just trying to give JJ a chance. The ball was where it needed to go against man (coverage), I thought I had it and it got deflected.”
After watching Darnold all year as Purdy’s backup, Shanahan figured this would be a bigger challenge than Aaron Rodgers was a week ago, given his age (40) and the quarterback returning a less mobile version of himself after a torn Achilles tendon.
“It didn’t surprise me. I knew we were in for a challenge,” Shanahan said. “Sam is a heck of a quarterback. He’s got a lot of arm talent and we knew it was going to be a different challenge today in terms of scrambling. He put us on the defensive end on a couple of scrambles. We knew we had a challenge with him.”
Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell will be a big difference maker for Darnold, given his offensive expertise.
.@jalennailor in the back of the end zone for 6!!
: @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/dmxULYwABg
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 15, 2024
“He’s really good with schemes, he knows how to put the best players on defense and he’s got a lot of good players and a good offensive line,” 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa said. “You feel that when you play against a good coach.”
O’Connell said the Vikings got what they hoped for from a quarterback who signed a one-year, $10 million contract and was chosen as the backup to first-round pick J.J. McCarthy. Until McCarthy tore his ACL and was sidelined for the season.
“Against his old team, at that position, in your quarterback journey, when everybody says you can’t play, we always believed in him and it was great to see him do that today,” O’Connell said. “I’m really proud of Sam Darnold.”
Purdy, who is now 18-5 as a regular-season starter for the 49ers, stayed true to character. He accepted the responsibility, and while he conceded that Christian McCaffrey’s absence was significant, Purdy had no intention of using it as an excuse.
“It’s as simple as implementing,” Purdy said. “We have the players, we have the plan, we have what it takes. It’s about knowing where my answers are and getting the ball in the players’ hands and getting first downs. That’s it.”
“That’s football, man. Just because you have good players and a good system doesn’t mean the other team is going to give it to you.”
