The 49ers (3-3) travel to the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome for a 1:00 ET kickoff against the Minnesota Vikings (3-2). Jeff George is the Vikings' starter for the second straight week in relief of Randall Cunningham. Cris Carter and Randy Moss are the receivers; Robert Smith is the back.
Mariucci was Mike Holmgren's quarterbacks coach at Green Bay in 1996, when George was the Falcons' starter. The Vikings' offense averages 25 points across the first five.[1][2]
Jeff George is the Vikings' starter for the second straight week and the Sunday at the Metrodome is the kind of road trip that, in calendar 1999, beat reporters file as the schedule's longest single-week tour. The Vikings' offense, with George replacing the injured Cunningham, has produced more passing yards in three weeks than the Cunningham unit produced in five.
Week 7 has the Vikings hosting the 49ers plus a slate where the conference's wild-card race is settling. The Rams remain at 4-1 after the Atlanta loss. The Bucs at 4-2. The Falcons 2-4. The AFC has the Dolphins at 5-1 and the Jaguars at 5-1. The Browns are 0-6. The Bengals 0-6. The Sunday-night game is Denver at New England. Inside the division the Vikings are 3-2; the Bucs 4-2; the Bears 3-3; the Packers 3-3; the Lions 4-2.
Through six games the 49ers sit at 3-3 with a minus 39 point differential. Garcia averages 232 passing yards per game across four starts. Garner is on pace for 1,100 from scrimmage. The defense has surrendered 30-plus points in two of the last three games. Minnesota is 3-2 with George averaging 270 passing yards per game and Smith 4.5 a carry. Vegas opens the Vikings as 7-point home favorites.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 5-1 | -- |
| Tennessee Titans | 5-1 | -- |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 3-3 | -- |
| Baltimore Ravens | 2-3 | -- |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 1-5 | -- |
| Cleveland Browns | 0-6 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | 4-1 | -- |
| Buffalo Bills | 4-2 | -- |
| New England Patriots | 4-2 | -- |
| Indianapolis Colts | 3-2 | -- |
| New York Jets | 1-5 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego Chargers | 4-1 | -- |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 3-2 | -- |
| Seattle Seahawks | 3-2 | -- |
| Oakland Raiders | 3-3 | -- |
| Denver Broncos | 2-4 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Rams | 5-0 | -- |
| San Francisco 49ers | 3-3 | -- |
| Carolina Panthers | 2-3 | -- |
| New Orleans Saints | 1-4 | -- |
| Atlanta Falcons | 1-5 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions | 3-2 | -- |
| Green Bay Packers | 3-2 | -- |
| Chicago Bears | 3-3 | -- |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2-3 | -- |
| Minnesota Vikings | 2-4 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Redskins | 4-1 | -- |
| Dallas Cowboys | 3-2 | -- |
| New York Giants | 3-3 | -- |
| Arizona Cardinals | 2-4 | -- |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 2-4 | -- |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Vikings | Leroy Hoard 1 yard rush ( Gary Anderson kick) | 0-7 |
| 49ers | Wade Richey 22 yard field goal | 3-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Darnell Walker 71 yard defensive fumble return ( Wade Richey kick) | 10-7 |
| Vikings | Matthew Hatchette 80 yard pass from Jeff George ( Gary Anderson kick) | 10-14 |
| 49ers | Wade Richey 31 yard field goal | 13-14 |
| Vikings | Andrew Jordan 7 yard pass from Jeff George ( Gary Anderson kick) | 13-21 |
| Vikings | Gary Anderson 33 yard field goal | 13-24 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Wade Richey 26 yard field goal | 16-24 |
| Vikings | Moe Williams 9 yard rush ( Gary Anderson kick) | 16-31 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Vikings | Cris Carter 2 yard pass from Jeff George ( Gary Anderson kick) | 16-38 |
| Vikings | Safety, Fann penalized for holding in end zone | 16-40 |
Jeff George threw for 250 yards and three touchdowns, Leroy Hoard ran for 105 and a touchdown and the Minnesota Vikings beat the 49ers 40-16 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. Jeff Garcia went 14 of 31 for 188 yards and two interceptions in his second straight road game. Charlie Garner ran for 27. Cris Carter caught 7 for 84 and a touchdown; Matthew Hatchette caught 2 for 88 and a touchdown. The 49ers trailed 21-3 at halftime.[1][2]
Jeff George threw three touchdowns and the Vikings won 40-16 at the Metrodome. The 49ers' defense surrendered three touchdown passes in the first twenty minutes of the second half and the offense produced 13 fourth-quarter points in garbage time.
The Sunday is the third NFC road loss of the year and the second in three weeks where the defense surrendered 30-plus. Garcia threw two interceptions; his road-game decision-making is the calendar's structural concern. Leroy Hoard ran for 105; the Vikings' rushing line was the most productive against the 49ers' front since the Rams game two weeks back. The secondary, on the field for both Carter touchdown drives, surrendered the deep ball on the Hatchette 70-yard score.
The 49ers walk back to the airport 3-4 with the home game against the Steelers next Sunday. The road record is 1-3. The wire copy is going to spend the column on the second-half collapse: the 49ers' offense produced zero points in the third quarter for the second straight week. The film room is going to start with the linebacker rotation against Hoard.
Vikings 40, 49ers 16. Margin: minus 24. Record: 3-4, minus 63 differential. • Garcia: 14-of-31 for 188, 0 TDs, 2 INTs; 5 rushes for 35. • Garner: 10 carries for 27; 2 catches for 13. • Phillips: 3 catches for 49. • Rice: 5 catches for 45. • Clark: 3 catches for 27. • George: 15-of-28 for 250, 3 TDs. • Hoard: 17 carries for 105, 1 TD. • Carter: 7 catches for 84, 1 TD. • Hatchette: 2 catches for 88, 1 TD. • Quarter scoring: SF 3-0-0-13; MIN 7-14-13-6.
A 40-16 road loss at the Metrodome. The 49ers fall to 3-4 with the third NFC road loss of the year.
How it unfolded
The Vikings opened with a Hoard short rushing touchdown to take a 7-0 lead. A Wade Richey field goal cut it to 7-3. The second quarter produced two George touchdowns: a 14-yard strike to Carter and a 70-yard strike to Hatchette to push the lead to 21-3 at halftime. The third quarter saw a Hoard short touchdown and a Robert Griffith fumble recovery touchdown to make it 35-3. The 49ers added two fourth-quarter touchdowns in garbage time, a Garcia 9-yard scramble and a Greg Clark 18-yard touchdown reception, to make the final 40-16.
The turning point
The second-quarter Hatchette 70-yard touchdown. With the 49ers down 14-3 and the offense facing third-and-four at midfield, Garcia threw a pick. George responded with the deep ball to Hatchette over the rookie corner. The 21-3 cushion put the 49ers in a posture they could not escape against the Vikings' third-quarter script.
By the numbers
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Jeff Garcia | 14/31 | 188 | 0 | 2 | |
| Steve Stenstrom | 4/4 | 13 | 0 | 0 | |
| MIN | |||||
| Jeff George | 15/28 | 250 | 3 | 1 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jeff Garcia | 5 | 35 | 0 | 15 |
| Charlie Garner | 10 | 27 | 0 | 8 |
| Fred Beasley | 5 | 20 | 0 | 14 |
| Lawrence Phillips | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MIN | ||||
| Leroy Hoard | 17 | 105 | 1 | 19 |
| Moe Williams | 6 | 25 | 1 | 9 |
| Randy Moss | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| David Palmer | 2 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Daunte Culpepper | 3 | 6 | 0 | 9 |
| Harold Morrow | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Lawrence Phillips | 3 | 49 | 0 | 47 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 5 | 45 | 0 | 15 |
| Mark Harris | 1 | 33 | 0 | 33 |
| Greg Clark | 3 | 27 | 0 | 11 |
| J.J. Stokes | 2 | 27 | 0 | 14 |
| Charlie Garner | 2 | 13 | 0 | 7 |
| Fred Beasley | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Tony Cline | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| MIN | ||||
| Matthew Hatchette | 2 | 88 | 1 | 80 |
| Cris Carter | 7 | 84 | 1 | 36 |
| Jake Reed | 3 | 42 | 0 | 19 |
| Randy Moss | 1 | 24 | 0 | 24 |
| Andrew Jordan | 1 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| Andrew Glover | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
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