San Francisco visits the Minnesota Vikings on 1961-11-26 at Kezar Stadium. The 49ers' offensive line continues to anchor the calendar's identity heading into Week 11.
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 week's NFL schedule has the 49ers facing the Minnesota Vikings is the kind of home 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.
The NFL's Week 11 schedule 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 home 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.
10 games into the season 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 |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 8-2 | W3 |
| Cleveland Browns | 7-3 | W2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 7-3 | L2 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 4-5-1 | T1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 4-6 | L1 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 4-6 | L2 |
| Washington Redskins | 0-9-1 | T1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers | 8-2 | W2 |
| Detroit Lions | 6-3-1 | W2 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 5-4-1 | W1 |
| Chicago Bears | 5-5 | L3 |
| Baltimore Colts | 5-5 | W1 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 3-7 | L1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 2-8 | L1 |
Video missing for this game. If you find one, please report it.
49ers 14, Minnesota Vikings 049ers 24, Minnesota Vikings 1449ers 31, Minnesota Vikings 2149ers 38, Minnesota Vikings 2849ers 38, Minnesota Vikings 28[1]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 014212828 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 14 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 1424313838 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | J.D. Smith 6 yard rush ( Tommy Davis kick) | 0-7 |
| 49ers | R.C. Owens 40 yard pass from John Brodie ( Tommy Davis kick) | 0-14 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | C.R. Roberts 1 yard rush ( Tommy Davis kick) | 0-21 |
| Vikings | Tommy Mason 9 yard rush ( Mike Mercer kick) | 7-21 |
| 49ers | Tommy Davis 42 yard field goal | 7-24 |
| Vikings | Jerry Reichow 17 yard pass from Fran Tarkenton ( Mike Mercer kick) | 14-24 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | J.D. Smith 15 yard rush ( Tommy Davis kick) | 14-31 |
| Vikings | Gordie Smith 71 yard pass from Fran Tarkenton ( Mike Mercer kick) | 21-31 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | John Brodie 16 yard rush ( Tommy Davis kick) | 21-38 |
| Vikings | Fran Tarkenton 1 yard rush ( Mike Mercer kick) | 28-38 |
San Francisco's offense produced 38 points at home over the Minnesota Vikings on 1961-11-26. John Brodie went 14 of 24 for 246 yards with 1 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. J.D. Smith ran for 168 on 28 carries with 2 touchdowns. R.C. Owens caught 5 for 138 with 1 touchdown. On the other side Fran Tarkenton went 16 of 24 for 277 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interceptions. Tommy Mason ran for 62 on 14 carries with 1 touchdown.[1]
The 49ers won 38-28 against the Minnesota Vikings on 1961-11-26. John Brodie went 14 of 24 for 246 yards with 1 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. J.D. Smith ran for 168 on 28 carries with 2 touchdowns. R.C. Owens caught 5 for 138 with 1 touchdown.
The Sunday's outcome maps to the kind of game-script the staff has been working through across the calendar's middle 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 28. Margin: plus 10. Box score reads: John Brodie went 14 of 24 for 246 yards with 1 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. J.D. Smith ran for 168 on 28 carries with 2 touchdowns. R.C. Owens caught 5 for 138 with 1 touchdown. Monty Stickles caught 4 for 54. On the Minnesota Vikings' side: Fran Tarkenton went 16 of 24 for 277 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interceptions. Tommy Mason ran for 62 on 14 carries with 1 touchdown.
A 38-28 home win over 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 14 of 24 for 246 yards with 1 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. J.D. Smith ran for 168 on 28 carries with 2 touchdowns. R.C. Owens caught 5 for 138 with 1 touchdown. The Sunday's offensive output produced the kind of full-sixty pace the playbook has been working through. On the defensive side Fran Tarkenton went 16 of 24 for 277 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interceptions for the Minnesota Vikings, and Tommy Mason ran for 62 on 14 carries with 1 touchdown.
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 14 of 24 for 246 yards with 1 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. The lead-back rotation: J.D. Smith ran for 168 on 28 carries with 2 touchdowns, plus C.R. Roberts ran for 14 on 4 carries with 1 touchdown. Receiver room: R.C. Owens caught 5 for 138 with 1 touchdown, and Monty Stickles caught 4 for 54.
Personnel watch
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| John Brodie | 14/24 | 246 | 1 | 0 | |
| MIN | |||||
| Fran Tarkenton | 16/24 | 277 | 2 | 1 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| J.D. Smith | 28 | 168 | 2 | 21 |
| John Brodie | 1 | 16 | 1 | 16 |
| C.R. Roberts | 4 | 14 | 1 | 9 |
| Bill Cooper | 2 | -2 | 0 | 0 |
| MIN | ||||
| Tommy Mason | 14 | 62 | 1 | 19 |
| Hugh McElhenny | 12 | 57 | 0 | 18 |
| Fran Tarkenton | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| R.C. Owens | 5 | 138 | 1 | 47 |
| Monty Stickles | 4 | 54 | 0 | 19 |
| Aaron Thomas | 2 | 31 | 0 | 17 |
| C.R. Roberts | 3 | 23 | 0 | 17 |
| MIN | ||||
| Gordie Smith | 3 | 123 | 1 | 71 |
| Jerry Reichow | 4 | 77 | 1 | 25 |
| Hugh McElhenny | 2 | 51 | 0 | 26 |
| Dave Middleton | 4 | 40 | 0 | 13 |
| Tommy Mason | 3 | -14 | 0 | 0 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1961 W11 - 49ers vs Minnesota Vikings - Game Thread
