Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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2. Quarterback journeys
The spotlight is always on the quarterbacks in the playoffs, but it gets brighter and brighter as teams advance to the following rounds.
The quarterbacks in Saturday’s game know how to operate under scrutiny. They have traveled different paths since the teams met in Week 1 of the 2018 regular season.
That, of course, was Kirk Cousins’ first-ever game with the Vikings. He threw for 244 yards and two scores with no interceptions for a passer rating of 95.1.
Cousins has endured some ups and down since then, but is currently riding high after delivering in the clutch in overtime Sunday against the Saints.
The 2018 season opener was a big moment for Garoppolo, too, as he was entering his first full season as a starter after getting traded to San Francisco during the 2017 season.
The quarterback didn’t make it a month, however, as he suffered a torn ACL in Week 3 against the Chiefs and missed the rest of the 2018 campaign.
With Garoppolo healthy and thriving, the 49ers have been among the NFL’s top teams in 2019. Now their quarterback gets a chance to make another statement in his first postseason start.
3. Ground and pound
While all eyes might be on Cousins and Garoppolo, there’s also a chance they spend a good chunk of the game handing the ball off to their running backs. Or look for big pass gains with play-action fakes.
Saturday’s game features two of the NFL’s top rushing attacks. Minnesota ranked sixth in the league with 133.3 rushing yards per game, while San Francisco was second at 144.1 yards per game.
The Vikings will likely rely heavily on Dalvin Cook, who rushed for 94 yards and two scores on 28 carries Sunday. Alexander Mattison added 20 yards on five carries as Minnesota tallied 136 total rushing yards.
The 49ers feature a three-pronged attack, with each running back recording at least 123 carries in 2019.
Raheem Mostert tied for the team lead with 137 carries and had a team-high 772 yards and eight rushing touchdowns. Tevin Coleman had 544 yards and six scores on 137 carries, and Matt Breida had 623 yards and a score on 123 attempts.
Want another indication both teams will feature the ground game?
The Vikings ran the ball on 49.43 percent of their offensive plays in 2019, the second-highest run-percentage rate in the league. The 49ers were third at 49.21 percent. (Both teams trailed the 14-2 Ravens, who ran the ball a whopping 56.02 percent of the time).