The 49ers face the Minnesota Vikings on 1961-10-15 at Metropolitan Stadium. The 49ers' offensive line continues to anchor the calendar's identity heading into Week 5.
The roster's lead back rotation and receiver room project the kind of game-script the staff has been working through. The Minnesota Vikings arrive tracking their own divisional standing.[1]
The Sunday matchup against the Minnesota Vikings is the kind of road game where the offensive line has the matchup the coaching staff has been pointing toward all week. The Sunday's biggest unknown is the front rotation against the Minnesota Vikings' offensive line. The week of preparation produced the kind of game-plan continuity the staff has been building toward.
Inside the conference Week 5 continues to shape the playoff race. The conference's projected leaders carry through the calendar with the kind of pace the wire copy has been writing into. The road matchup with the Minnesota Vikings is the calendar's sense-check on the 49ers' divisional posture. The Sunday-night and Monday-night games close the week with their own playoff implications.
Across the first 4 games the 49ers are tracking the kind of pace that, in calendar 1961, defines the divisional posture. The lead back's rushing workload is the staff's projected call. The receiver room's distribution is the offense's signature. The Minnesota Vikings are tracking their own standing. Vegas opens the lines accordingly. A figure to follow: the offensive line's pass-protection rate.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Browns | 3-1 | W3 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 3-1 | W1 |
| New York Giants | 3-1 | W3 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 3-1 | W1 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 2-2 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 0-4 | L4 |
| Washington Redskins | 0-4 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers | 3-1 | W3 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 3-1 | W2 |
| Chicago Bears | 2-2 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 2-2 | L2 |
| Baltimore Colts | 2-2 | L1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 1-3 | L3 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 1-3 | L1 |
Video missing for this game. If you find one, please report it.
49ers 7, Minnesota Vikings 749ers 14, Minnesota Vikings 1749ers 24, Minnesota Vikings 2449ers 38, Minnesota Vikings 2449ers 38, Minnesota Vikings 24[1]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 7 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 714243838 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 717242424 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Bob Waters 6 yard rush ( Tommy Davis kick) | 7-0 |
| Vikings | Hugh McElhenny 13 yard rush ( Mike Mercer kick) | 7-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Vikings | Jerry Reichow 42 yard pass from George Shaw ( Mike Mercer kick) | 7-14 |
| Vikings | Mike Mercer 24 yard field goal | 7-17 |
| 49ers | Billy Kilmer 1 yard rush ( Tommy Davis kick) | 14-17 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Billy Kilmer 2 yard rush ( Tommy Davis kick) | 21-17 |
| Vikings | Hugh McElhenny 32 yard rush ( Mike Mercer kick) | 21-24 |
| 49ers | Tommy Davis 12 yard field goal | 24-24 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Billy Kilmer 5 yard rush ( Tommy Davis kick) | 31-24 |
| 49ers | Billy Kilmer 20 yard rush ( Tommy Davis kick) | 38-24 |
San Francisco won 38-24 on the road against the Minnesota Vikings on 1961-10-15. John Brodie went 11 of 14 for 209 yards with 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Billy Kilmer ran for 115 on 20 carries with 4 touchdowns. Monty Stickles caught 5 for 102. On the other side George Shaw went 7 of 17 for 85 yards with 1 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Hugh McElhenny ran for 81 on 10 carries with 2 touchdowns.[1]
The 49ers' offense produced 38 points against the Minnesota Vikings on 1961-10-15. John Brodie went 11 of 14 for 209 yards with 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Billy Kilmer ran for 115 on 20 carries with 4 touchdowns. Monty Stickles caught 5 for 102.
The Sunday's outcome maps to the kind of game-script the staff has been working through across the calendar's first weeks. The offensive line's pocket time produced the dropbacks the playbook calls. The defensive unit's pressure produced the kind of takeaway the unit has been generating. The Sunday's outcome sets the next week's posture across the divisional standings.
The Minnesota Vikings produced the kind of game-script the wire copy projected. The next-week matchup is the calendar's next sense-check on the 49ers' divisional pacing.
49ers 38, Minnesota Vikings 24. Margin: plus 14. Box score reads: John Brodie went 11 of 14 for 209 yards with 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Billy Kilmer ran for 115 on 20 carries with 4 touchdowns. Monty Stickles caught 5 for 102. J.D. Smith caught 4 for 100. On the Minnesota Vikings' side: George Shaw went 7 of 17 for 85 yards with 1 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Hugh McElhenny ran for 81 on 10 carries with 2 touchdowns.
A 38-24 road win at the Minnesota Vikings. The 49ers' calendar continues to shape across the kind of game-script the staff has been projecting.
How it unfolded
John Brodie went 11 of 14 for 209 yards with 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Billy Kilmer ran for 115 on 20 carries with 4 touchdowns. Monty Stickles caught 5 for 102. The Sunday's offensive output produced the kind of full-sixty pace the playbook has been working through. On the defensive side George Shaw went 7 of 17 for 85 yards with 1 touchdowns and 0 interceptions for the Minnesota Vikings, and Hugh McElhenny ran for 81 on 10 carries with 2 touchdowns.
The turning point
The in-game adjustment that, in calendar 1961, decided the closing two quarters. The defensive front's pressure on the third-down dropbacks produced the kind of pass-rush volume the unit has been generating across the year. The receiver room's route distribution produced the kind of timing-route conversions the playbook calls.
By the numbers
John Brodie went 11 of 14 for 209 yards with 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. The lead-back rotation: Billy Kilmer ran for 115 on 20 carries with 4 touchdowns, plus J.D. Smith ran for 73 on 11 carries. Receiver room: Monty Stickles caught 5 for 102, and J.D. Smith caught 4 for 100.
Personnel watch
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| John Brodie | 11/14 | 209 | 0 | 2 | |
| Bob Waters | 2/2 | 34 | 0 | 0 | |
| MIN | |||||
| George Shaw | 7/17 | 85 | 1 | 0 | |
| Fran Tarkenton | 6/11 | 48 | 0 | 0 | |
| Tommy Mason | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Billy Kilmer | 20 | 115 | 4 | 21 |
| J.D. Smith | 11 | 73 | 0 | 15 |
| C.R. Roberts | 7 | 63 | 0 | 31 |
| Bob Waters | 9 | 60 | 1 | 35 |
| Abe Woodson | 2 | 12 | 0 | 14 |
| John Brodie | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| MIN | ||||
| Hugh McElhenny | 10 | 81 | 2 | 32 |
| Ray Hayes | 4 | 17 | 0 | 11 |
| Fran Tarkenton | 2 | 12 | 0 | 9 |
| Mel Triplett | 4 | 8 | 0 | 6 |
| Tommy Mason | 2 | 6 | 0 | 5 |
| George Shaw | 2 | -6 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Monty Stickles | 5 | 102 | 0 | 36 |
| J.D. Smith | 4 | 100 | 0 | 57 |
| Abe Woodson | 4 | 41 | 0 | 28 |
| MIN | ||||
| Jerry Reichow | 2 | 54 | 1 | 42 |
| Bob Schnelker | 2 | 20 | 0 | 13 |
| Ray Hayes | 3 | 19 | 0 | 14 |
| Tommy Mason | 2 | 16 | 0 | 13 |
| A.D. Williams | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Hugh McElhenny | 2 | 7 | 0 | 4 |
| Mel Triplett | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1961 W5 - 49ers at Minnesota Vikings - Game Thread
