The Minnesota Vikings (5-5) are returning to the West Coast for the second time in three weeks and are scheduled to face the San Francisco 49ers (5-5) in a pivotal Week 12 game. The Vikings recorded the 500th regular-season victory in franchise history Sunday by topping the Packers 34-31, which led to a unique presentation of a game ball by Head Coach Mike Zimmer. Minnesota has evened its record with consecutive wins for the second time this season (was 3-3 after starting 1-3 and then 3-5). The Vikings are trying to get above .500 as a team in a season for the first time since last playing at San Francisco, a 27-10 loss in the NFC Divisional Round on Jan. 11, 2020. That 49ers team defeated the Packers in the NFC Championship the next week but fell to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV. Last season's team opened 2-1 before finishing 6-10 (1-7 at home). This year's squad opened 2-0 before dropping four consecutive games. San Francisco has won three of its past four and is currently eighth in the NFC standings. Minnesota is sixth via tiebreakers and has the opportunity to control its playoff fate over the final seven games of the 2021 season. STAT OF THE WEEK Top 10s Kirk Cousins is the only QB in the NFL who ranks in the top 10 of the following five major passing statistics this season: Completion percentage: 68.2 (6th in NFL) Passing yards: 2,775 (6th) Passing touchdowns: 21 (T-5th) Interceptions: 2 (T-1st) Passer rating: 106.3 (3rd) NORSEMAN NOTES Cousins passed for 341 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions to tie Rams QB Matthew Stafford for the most games (four) with at least 300 yards, three scores and no interceptions this season. It was Cousins' 25th career game with 300-plus yards and three scores, which is the second most in an NFL quarterback's first 10 seasons. He passed Aaron Rodgers and needs one more to tie Dan Marino's record. Cousins has thrown a touchdown pass in 24 consecutive games, tying Daunte Culpepper's franchise record. Dalvin Cook rushed for 86 yards and his fourth touchdown of the season, which gives him 33 rushing scores since the start of the 2019 season. That total ranks second in the NFL. Cook moved into sixth place on Minnesota's all-time rushers list, eclipsing Dave Osborn (4,336). Cook has 4,395 through 51 games. Justin Jefferson recorded his 11th career game with more than 100 receiving yards to tie Randy Moss and JuJu Smith-Schuster for the second-most such games in a player's first two seasons. Jefferson has a shot to tie or pass the record of 15 set by Odell Beckham, Jr. Jefferson's 312 receiving yards in his last two games are tied with Sidney Rice for the fifth-largest output in consecutive Vikings games. Adam Thielen passed Kyle Rudolph (453) for fifth all-time on Minnesota's receptions list. He enters Sunday with 455 career catches. KNOW THE FOE Head Coach: Kyle Shanahan, 5th season with 49ers (34-40 in regular season; 2-1 postseason) Jimmy Garoppolo won his first seven NFL starts, spanning from 2016 with New England (two) and after his 2017 acquisition by San Francisco (five games). The Vikings snapped that run in the 2018 season opener by limiting Garoppolo to a passer rating of 45.1 and intercepting him three times. Garoppolo ranks 10th in the NFL this season with a passer rating of 100.0. The 49ers have dealt with multiple injuries at running back and turned to receiver Deebo Samuel last week for eight rush attempts that yielded 79 yards. He has three rushing touchdowns this season, including one in each of the past two weeks. Samuel also leads San Francisco with 55 catches, 994 yards and five scores through the air. His yardage ranks second in the NFL and has been helped by his average of 9.55 yards after catches. Elijah Mitchell has rushed 116 times for 560 yards and three touchdowns. The sixth-round pick assumed the starting role after Raheem Mostert was injured. Mitchell has missed three games this season. George Kittle has 15 catches for 185 yards and three scores in the past three weeks since returning from injury. Nick Bosa leads San Francisco with 10 sacks and is tied for fifth in the NFL. Jimmie Ward has two of the team's four interceptions; Josh Norman and Dre Greenlaw each have recorded one. Robbie Gould is 8-for-9 on field goals and has made all 20 extra points he's attempted. VIKINGS.com
The 49ers will be another test for the Vikings every game from here will be tough division games are always tough here record's don't matter here,again the Vikings in the draft ugh Tricky Ricky has get his 10 picks then what? ok you got Wyatt Davis how come he can never start on the offensive line why not
I think Davis is a depth guy and will be in the picture in the not too far future. He had a knee injury also to heal from. You know he will be good... after-all he's a Buckeye!
This is a huge game for both teams and the NFC Playoff picture... it might as well be treated as such (playoff game). Go for broke! Go Vikings!
When you say it like that.....in a strange way this game is a playoff game this is a must have game for both teams GO VIKINGS
lol... the offense should be called by Klint Kubiak, but whoever it is, I hope they stay in this killer mentality.
Just amazing i thought MacKenzie Alexander had finally got it guess not 49ers got a TD Gift from the Vikings.....Vikings 14 49ers 14
