Tag: 49ers vikings

Behind Enemy Lines: Is this all Kirk Cousins’ fault?

Let’s learn a little bit about the #49ers Week 7 opponent:

Last season the 49ers and Vikings would’ve been a premier Monday night matchup. This year Minnesota has struggled out of the gate with four losses in its first six weeks, leaving the club on the outside of the playoff picture after a third of the season.

So, what’s changed from last season when the Vikings were 13-4, and what does this year’s team look like? We wanted to get an inside look at San Francisco’s Week 7 opponent, so we hit up our buddy and managing editor of Vikings Wire, Tyler Forness. He was kind enough to answer all of our questions!

Let’s dive in:

Kwon Alexander officially activated from IR

Kwon Alexander’s surprise return came a week earlier than expected, and he will play against the Vikings.

The 49ers on Friday made Kwon Alexander’s return from a torn pectoral official when they activated him off Injured Reserve. In a corresponding move, they placed defensive lineman Kentavius Street on IR with a knee injury.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan announced during his Thursday press conference the team would activate their linebacker, but didn’t have word on a move to clear space on the 53-man roster.

Alexander’s return came earlier than anticipated on a couple levels. Typically a torn pectoral ends a player’s season regardless of any playoff run. However, there was some optimism that Alexander may return in the event of a deep playoff run after he went down with the injury during the team’s Week 9 win in Arizona.

Shanahan believed that was still the case until Alexander was cleared to start practicing during the team’s first-round playoff bye. His progress and the bye week allowed Alexander enough time to get cleared by the medical staff in time for the divisional round.

Now it’s up to the coaching staff to determine his playing time. His role hasn’t been specified, but it sounds like he won’t be back for 100 percent of the snaps. Still, getting their emotional leader back for the start of the postseason could be a huge boost to the 49ers’ front seven against a very talented Vikings offense.

For Street, this marks the second time this season and third time in his two-year career that he’s hit injured reserve. He missed all of last year with a torn ACL he suffered before the draft.  Then the 49ers selected him in the fourth round and placed him on IR for the entire season.

He went on IR to start the 2019 season after a flare up in his injured knee, but returned in Week 15 against Atlanta and played a small defensive role in the final three games of the year. Street was a limited participant during practice in the week leading up to the divisional round. He was officially listed as questionable before going on season-ending IR.

Losing Street impacts the depth on an already thin 49ers defensive line, but getting Alexander back will be a significant gain for San Francisco’s defense.

NFL playoffs: 49ers to host Vikings in divisional round

The 49ers’ playoff schedule is set, and they’ll face the Vikings in the second round.

The Vikings’ massive upset of the Saints in New Orleans on Sunday laid out the 49ers’ playoff schedule for the divisional round.

Since No. 6-seeded Minnesota knocked off the No. 3-seeded Saints 26-20,  they’re the lowest seed remaining in the NFC. They’ll travel to Levi’s Stadium for the second round of the playoffs regardless of what happens in the matchup between the No. 4 Eagles and No. 5 Seahawks on Sunday afternoon.

San Francisco didn’t play Minnesota this season, but fell to Kirk Cousins and the Vikings 24-16 in Week 1 last season at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Perhaps the bigger key is that the Saints are now out of the 49ers’ way. New Orleans was considered by some to actually be the best team in the NFC despite the fact San Francisco beat them in New Orleans.

Now, if the 49ers do beat the Vikings, they’ll face either the Packers, Eagles or Seahawks.

The 49ers and Vikings will kickoff Saturday from Levi’s Stadium at 1:35 pm PST.