How the 49ers will force Vikings Sam Darnold into multiple interceptions

On Monday night, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan put on a master-class performance against the New York Jets. Hats off to him and his coaching staff for having his team prepared in all three phases.

The special teams units weren’t sloppy in terms of tackling, and Jake Moody was perfect, while Mitch Wishnowsky was seldom used. The defense swarmed to the ball and gang-tackled like DeMeco Ryans was their coordinator. For the first time in a long time, the offense leaned on their line to push their opponent around and run the ball down its throat. It was a team win in every aspect.

The Niners turn the page to their Week 2 opponent, the Minnesota Vikings, who, according to Nick Bosa, is playing a better brand of football than the Jets. But can Darnold and Kevin O’Connell replicate their success? I have my doubts.

What to expect when the Vikings have the ball

Does anybody remember Bosa in the postgame against the Vikings last year? For him, that seemed like the final straw for Bosa standing up for then-defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.

Of course, the game flipped on its head after Wilks egregiously blitzed late in the first half, which led to a touchdown. Here’s Bosa, visibly irritated:

“It definitely works out sometimes. I’m not used to it. We’re usually a rush-four kind of team. It’s a little different this year. But uhhhh…But yeah… I don’t know.”

The 49ers defense blitzed Kirk Cousins on 26 percent of his dropbacks that day, and Cousins carved the Niners up with a 77.8 percent completion percentage, 107.8 passer rating, and threw for 378 yards.

Getting pressure without blitzing has been the foundation of this 49ers defense during Shanahan’s tenure. This side of the ball got back to its roots in Week 1 under Nick Sorensen. Aaron Rodgers was blitzed on 9.1 percent of his dropbacks but pressured over 27 percent of the time. Rodgers had a negative EPA per dropback, which is unusual for a quarterback of his stature.

That swarming energy was palpable. It looked like the 49ers defenses that have carried this team to deep playoff runs in years past. The talent of the Niners remains, but their effort level was a world better than a year ago, which could create issues for Darnold.

It was smooth sailing for Darnold last week, as he finished 19-for-24 and completed his first 12 passes against the New York Giants. But re-watching the game and looking at the pressure he faced and some of the decisions that were made would lead you to believe Darnold comes back down to earth in Week 2—not to mention he’s unlikely to play from a game script where the Vikings are up double-digits from the second quarter on.

The Vikings offensive line finished Week 1 24th in pass-block win rate. Darnold was pressured on 42 percent of his dropbacks and held onto the ball at the 8th-highest rate in Week 1, despite more than half of his attempts coming within nine yards.

What that tells me is that Darnold wasn’t processing quickly. There’s a play that sticks out in my head where the Giants dropped back in zone, and Darnold took three hitches before throwing the ball into traffic, where it was nearly intercepted.

The blueprint seems simple this week: Get pressure with four — Leonard Floyd and Nick Bosa combined for an 18 percent pressure rate in Week 1 — while you load the middle of the field and force Darnold into a wrong decision.

Darnold was outstanding against the blitz last week. He went 5-for-6 for two touchdowns and three first downs, with an average depth of target of 9.2 yards. He struggles when he has to hold the ball, and the wheels have to turn.

Funnel throws toward Fred Warner. The 49ers have been top five —and they are No. 1 in most of these — with Warner manning the middle in completion rate, passer rating allowed, and yards per attempt.

The Vikings will be without one of their top weapons. Last year, Jordan Addison torched the Niners for seven catches on 123 yards and two touchdowns. He left Week 1 with an ankle injury and has not practiced this week. It’s the second ankle injury Addison has dealt with in a month, putting his status in doubt for Sunday.

Tight end T.J. Hockensen is on the Injured Reserve, which means —outside of Justin Jefferson, objectively one of the three best receivers in the NFL — Darnold has Jalen Nailor and potentially Trent Sherfield to throw it to.

Isaac Yiadom and Charvarius Ward have the speed and length to contest throws to Jefferson down the field. The 49ers must limit Jefferson’s yards after the catch. That was one of their biggest wins against Garrett Wilson in Week 1.

Putting Darnold in obvious passing situations would be another change of pace from a week ago. Aaron Jones ran for 94 yards, averaging 6.7 yards per carry, and had five rushes of 10+ yards.

But, on a down-to-down basis, the Vikings didn’t generate much of a push for Jones. His non-double-digit carries went for 1, 2, 3, 2, 4, 8, -1, 4, 1. So there was plenty of boom-or-bust.

Conversely, the 49ers front 7 was a pleasant surprise against the run. Breece Hall got next to nothing, as Sorensen’s bunch allowed the second-fewest rushing yards of the week and consistently played on the other side of the line of scrimmage. No team allowed fewer yards before contact per attempt (-0.62) in Week 1 than the Niners.

Familiarity also works in Sorensen’s favor after watching Darnold every day in practice in 2023. If I’m Kevin O’Connell, I’m putting Jefferson in the slot and getting him matched against De’Vondre Campbell. That’s where the Jets had success. At times, Campbell looked a bit lost in coverage and would defend shallow routes, leaving the intermediate ones open.

No. 18 should take precedence over anybody. Jefferson will get him, but you have to limit him to 10 and 12-yard receptions, not 36 and 42.

Tackle Jefferson, cut Jones’ 10+ carries in half, make Darnold go full Darnold, and we’re probably looking at the Vikings scoring closer to 13 than 28 in Week 2, especially if the interior pass rush comes alive. It should be a coming-out party for Javon Hargrave. The Vikings’ center and right guard allowed ten pressures against the Giants. Only Floyd and Bosa pressured the quarterback last week. That has to change in Week 2.