49ers’ shockingly bad defensive effort vs. Vikings leads to second straight loss

Vikings and Kirk Cousins did as they pleased against a 49ers defense that is supposed to be among NFL’s best

Late in the fourth quarter, it was third-and-3 at the 49ers’ 49-yard line when No. 97 finally leapt off the screen. Nick Bosa drove his blocker straight at Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins, who swerved through traffic and completed a 13-yard pass to Jordan Addison for a first down.

Bosa raised his arms to the heavens — or, in this case, the roof of U.S. Bank Stadium. He looked as if he couldn’t believe Cousins wasn’t crumpled on the ground.

In the end, Isaiah Oliver was called for defensive holding (which he declined), so it wouldn’t have mattered. But it was emblematic of the 49ers’ defense’s utterly futile effort in a 22-17 loss to the Vikings on Monday night.

When it came to the 49ers’ defense, a national television audience had to be wondering what all the fuss was about. Minnesota’s point total did not reflect the manner in which it dismantled a defense that believes it is among the NFL’s elite and had looked the part until a few weeks ago.

Don’t be fooled by the Vikings’ low total of points. Cousins kept the 49ers defense guessing all night, finishing 35-of-45 for 378 yards and two touchdowns. A defense that had allowed 239 yards or less in three consecutive games gave up 275 yards in the first half alone, for a total of 452 yards.

Despite all of those pass attempts, Cousins was never sacked and never seemed bothered as Bosa and company failed to generate the pressure that was supposed to make them famous.

“We have a lot of really good players on the D-line and a lot invested in it,” Bosa was quoted as saying. “And you have to make the plays when they’re there.”

From the outside, Bosa, Clelin Ferrell, and Randy Gregory were ineffective, as were the highly paid and previously productive Javon Hargrave and Arik Armstead from the inside.

And, make no mistake, this was not the Kansas City Chiefs or another offensive powerhouse. Minnesota, 3-4, defeated the lowly Chicago Bears 19-13 last week, relying on a defensive touchdown after the offense produced only 12 points.

Not only that, but Cousins was without injured wideout Justin Jefferson, who is ranked first or second on any list you care to name.

With the 49ers missing wide receiver Deebo Samuel and left tackle Trent Williams, as well as running back Christian McCaffrey, who was out with an oblique injury and struggled on the ground for the third straight game, the defense needed to step up and live up to its reputation.

Instead, the 49ers only forced one Minnesota punt. And it didn’t happen until the fourth quarter.

On third down, Cousins used the 49ers defense as target practice, going 9-for-12 for 183 yards and both of his touchdowns to Addison.

“I was really disappointed that we couldn’t get them off the field,” said 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan.

One play just before halftime stood out, and it came on a defensive call that coordinator Steve Wilks, if he hasn’t already, will have to explain to Shanahan.

The 49ers were within 10-7 after Brock Purdy engineered a 12-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 3-yard run by McCaffrey for the touchdown, despite the Vikings dictating the pace and controlling the tempo with occasional runs and a slew of crossing routes and screens to wide open receivers.

The 49ers regained control of the game with a 60-yard Cousins-to-Addison touchdown that Charvarius Ward appeared to have intercepted, only to have Addison wind up with the ball and complete a stunning touchdown play.

There were seven seconds left in the half when Addison crossed the goal line, and the Vikings led 16-7 after Greg Joseph missed the extra point attempt.

It was against an all-out blitz, so there was no deep help once Addison took the ball away from Ward. It was a risk for a defense that has used the blitz more frequently under Wilks than it did under DeMeco Ryans and Robert Saleh but is still not a blitzing defense.

“(Cousins) has got to get rid of it right away and he threw it up, got a chance for a pick, didn’t come up with it, and they got a touchdown,” he said. “It was a real bad play by us.”

When asked about the decision to blitz with Minnesota so close to the goal line in the final minute, Shanahan said calmly, “That’s stuff we’ll talk about all week.” Obviously, I was dissatisfied with the outcome.”

Both Shanahan and Bosa maintained that if Ward had held on to the ball, the game would have been over. In the first half, he and Addison collaborated on a pass on Minnesota’s first drive, but Ward intercepted it.

Middle linebacker Fred Warner also refused to blame Wilks’ decision and resisted the notion that the 49ers’ blitzing habits contradict their previous identity as a team that primarily rushes with four.

In any case, it was a far too risky decision in that situation.

It capped a first half in which it appeared Kevin O’Connell, the Vikings’ play-calling head coach, was one step ahead of what Wilks was dialing up.

It didn’t help the 49ers, who missed more than their fair share of tackles in last week’s 19-17 loss to Cleveland and were thus on the field for 10 minutes longer than the offense.

“We couldn’t get off the field, plain and simple,” Warner told reporters. “We got off to a slow start, and any time the quarterback throws for nearly 400 yards, and I’m not sure what the third-down percentage was (8-for-13), there’s too much leaky yardage.” They scored on nearly every drive they attempted. That cannot happen.”

It’s not going to get any easier. The 49ers host Cincinnati on a short week before their bye. Joe Burrow, the Bengals’ superior downfield passer, has been hampered by a calf injury but has had a week to recover with his 3-3 team on a bye.

Burrow was watching Monday night with bated breath. The 49ers will also be watching the film with interest. It’s an extremely proud unit that was taken to the woodshed in a big way, and how they respond against Cincinnati will determine whether the 49ers’ defense is overrated or not.

If the latter is the case, you should cancel your Super Bowl LVIII reservations in Las Vegas.