The 49ers (2-0) travel to the Metrodome for a 10:00 PT kickoff against the Minnesota Vikings (1-1).
Christian Ponder leads the Vikings' offense. Leslie Frazier coaches Minnesota. Adrian Peterson at lead back. Alex Smith continues for the 49ers. Frank Gore at lead back.
Christian Ponder, the Vikings' second-year quarterback, has been the QB1 since the 2011 mid-season change. Adrian Peterson continues at lead back after his December 2011 ACL surgery. The Vikings beat the Jaguars 26-23 in OT in Week 2.
The 49ers, at 2-0 with two-straight wins, travel to Minneapolis for the kind of Sunday-morning road game where the year-two team faces a divisional opponent of the NFC North. Alex Smith's third start. Gore at lead back.
Favored by 6.5 on the road. The Sunday road spot is the kind of game where the year-two team extends the win streak.
Week 3 is the early-September cross-divisional sort. The Patriots, Cowboys, Saints, and 49ers all sit at 2-0. The Packers, Lions, and Giants are in the NFC's contender mix. The Vikings (1-1) compete in the NFC North. Around the AFC the Patriots, Steelers, and Texans lead. The Sunday road game is the kind of week the year-two team extends the win streak.
Through two games the 49ers are 2-0 with a +16 point differential. The Vikings are 1-1 with a +5. Christian Ponder 3 TDs and 1 INT through 2 games. Adrian Peterson 132 rushing in 2 games (post-ACL). Percy Harvin 14 catches for 159 in 2 games. Smith 437 passing in 2 starts. Vegas opens the 49ers as 6.5-point road favorites; total 41.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 1-1 | W1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 1-1 | W1 |
| New England Patriots | 1-1 | L1 |
| New York Jets | 1-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Ravens | 1-1 | L1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 1-1 | W1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 1-1 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 0-2 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Houston Texans | 2-0 | W2 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 1-1 | W1 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 0-2 | L2 |
| Tennessee Titans | 0-2 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego Chargers | 2-0 | W2 |
| Denver Broncos | 1-1 | L1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 0-2 | L2 |
| Oakland Raiders | 0-2 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | 2-0 | -- |
| San Francisco 49ers | 2-0 | W2 |
| St. Louis Rams | 1-1 | W1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 1-1 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Eagles | 2-0 | W2 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 1-1 | L1 |
| New York Giants | 1-1 | W1 |
| Washington Redskins | 1-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 1-1 | L1 |
| Detroit Lions | 1-1 | L1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 1-1 | W1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 1-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | 2-0 | W2 |
| Carolina Panthers | 1-1 | W1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1-1 | L1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 0-2 | L2 |
49ers vs Vikings 2012 Week 3
2012 Week 3 49ers 13 @ Vikings 24
San Francisco 49ers @ Minnesota Vikings - WEEK 3 (09/23/2012)
Niners Can't Contain Ponder - 49ers vs. Vikings (Week 3, 2012) Classic Highlights
2012 NFL - 23rd September 2012 - San Francisco 49ers @ Minnesota Vikings
2012 Vikings @ Seahawks
2012 Wild Card Vikings @ Packers
2012 Vikings @ RedskinsReveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Vikings | Kyle Rudolph 1 yard pass from Christian Ponder ( Blair Walsh kick) | 0-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | David Akers 29 yard field goal | 3-7 |
| Vikings | Christian Ponder 23 yard rush ( Blair Walsh kick) | 3-14 |
| Vikings | Blair Walsh 52 yard field goal | 3-17 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | David Akers 29 yard field goal | 6-17 |
| 49ers | Vernon Davis 1 yard pass from Alex Smith ( David Akers kick) | 13-17 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Vikings | Kyle Rudolph 2 yard pass from Christian Ponder ( Blair Walsh kick) | 13-24 |
Christian Ponder threw two touchdowns and Adrian Peterson ran for 86 yards and a touchdown as the Minnesota Vikings beat the 49ers 24-13 at the Metrodome. Alex Smith threw for 204 yards. Frank Gore ran for 63. The 49ers' defense produced one sack. The 49ers fell to 2-1 with their first loss of the year.[1][2][3]
Christian Ponder threw two touchdowns Sunday morning at the Metrodome. Adrian Peterson ran for 86 yards and a touchdown. The Minnesota Vikings beat the 49ers 24-13 in the kind of Sunday-morning cross-divisional road loss where the year-two team's competitive identity, after two-straight wins, took its first loss of the year.
Alex Smith threw for 204 yards. Frank Gore ran for 63. Mario Manningham caught five for 80. The kind of Sunday-morning road game where the offense produced 13 points and the defense gave up 24.
Kyle Rudolph caught a touchdown. Percy Harvin caught five for 49. The Vikings' defense generated two sacks. The kind of Sunday-morning cross-divisional road loss where the year-two team's competitive identity, against an NFC North opponent, was tested and the result was a 11-point loss. 2-1 with the Jets on the road next.
Vikings 24, 49ers 13. Margin: -11. Three-game record: 2-1, +5 differential.
A 24-13 cross-divisional road loss to the Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome. The 49ers fall to 2-1.
How it unfolded
Christian Ponder threw a touchdown to Kyle Rudolph to give the Vikings an early lead. The 49ers answered with a David Akers field goal. Peterson ran in a touchdown. Akers kicked another field goal. The Vikings led 14-6 at halftime. The second half was another Ponder touchdown drive and an Akers field goal. The 49ers added a Gore-led drive ending in a Vernon Davis catch. Final 24-13.
The turning point
Kyle Rudolph's first-quarter touchdown. With the year-two team's defense expecting the Vikings' rookie tight end and the road environment looking like a quick-strike Sunday morning, Rudolph's score set the tone for the kind of cross-divisional road loss the rebuild had not produced in two games.
By the numbers
Smith 24-of-35 for 204. Gore 14 carries for 63. Manningham 5 catches for 80. Davis 4 catches for 53. Ponder 21-of-35 for 198 with two TDs. Adrian Peterson 25 carries for 86 with a TD. Percy Harvin 5 catches for 49.
Personnel watch
Peterson's 86-yard return-from-ACL game. The defense gave up 24 points. The kind of Sunday-morning cross-divisional road performance where the year-two team's competitive identity, after two-straight wins, took its first loss of the year.
What it means
2-1 with the Jets on the road next week. The Sunday-morning cross-divisional road loss is the kind of result that, after the opening two-week winning streak, has the year-two team's competitive identity in active question.
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Alex Smith | 24/35 | 204 | 1 | 1 | |
| MIN | |||||
| Christian Ponder | 21/35 | 198 | 2 | 0 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Frank Gore | 12 | 63 | 0 | 11 |
| Alex Smith | 4 | 26 | 0 | 10 |
| Kendall Hunter | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| MIN | ||||
| Adrian Peterson | 25 | 86 | 0 | 20 |
| Christian Ponder | 7 | 33 | 1 | 23 |
| Toby Gerhart | 8 | 18 | 0 | 9 |
| Percy Harvin | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Mario Manningham | 5 | 56 | 0 | 22 |
| Vernon Davis | 5 | 53 | 1 | 20 |
| Michael Crabtree | 6 | 40 | 0 | 9 |
| Randy Moss | 3 | 27 | 0 | 12 |
| Kyle Williams | 2 | 16 | 0 | 9 |
| Frank Gore | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Kendall Hunter | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Delanie Walker | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| MIN | ||||
| Percy Harvin | 9 | 89 | 0 | 24 |
| Kyle Rudolph | 5 | 36 | 2 | 16 |
| Devin Aromashodu | 2 | 24 | 0 | 13 |
| Adrian Peterson | 2 | 21 | 0 | 12 |
| Toby Gerhart | 2 | 20 | 0 | 14 |
| Michael Jenkins | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
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