The 49ers open Jim Tomsula's first season at Levi's Stadium against the Minnesota Vikings, 7:20 PT Monday Night Football kickoff.
Tomsula, the longtime defensive line coach, replaces Jim Harbaugh after the franchise's offseason split. Colin Kaepernick is the QB1. Carlos Hyde takes over for the departed Frank Gore. Teddy Bridgewater leads the Vikings in his second year.
Jim Tomsula's first game as head coach Monday night at Levi's Stadium. Jim Harbaugh departed for Michigan after the offseason rift. The defensive coordinator Vic Fangio left for Chicago. Patrick Willis retired in March. Chris Borland retired in March. Justin Smith retired in May. Frank Gore left in free agency to Indianapolis. The 49ers lost more talent in one offseason than at any point since the post-Bill Walsh transition.
Colin Kaepernick is back as QB1. Carlos Hyde is the new lead back. Teddy Bridgewater's Vikings are a rising NFC North team. The Monday-night opener is the new regime's first day.
Opening Monday Night Football begins the league sort. The defending Super Bowl champion Patriots open with a Thursday-night matchup. The Seahawks, Packers, Cowboys, and Cardinals lead the NFC's preseason favorites. The 49ers, after the Tomsula promotion and the offseason departures, are the kind of NFC team starting over. The Monday-night opener begins the new identity.
Through zero games the 49ers reset to an 8-8 2014 and the offseason departures of Harbaugh, Willis, Borland, Smith, Gore. Returning starters: 12 of 22. New head coach: Jim Tomsula. New offensive coordinator: Geep Chryst. New defensive coordinator: Eric Mangini. Vegas opens the 49ers as 5-point home favorites; total 41.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 0-0 | -- |
| Miami Dolphins | 0-0 | -- |
| New England Patriots | 0-0 | -- |
| New York Jets | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Ravens | 0-0 | -- |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0-0 | -- |
| Cleveland Browns | 0-0 | -- |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Houston Texans | 0-0 | -- |
| Indianapolis Colts | 0-0 | -- |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 0-0 | -- |
| Tennessee Titans | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 0-0 | -- |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 0-0 | -- |
| Oakland Raiders | 0-0 | -- |
| San Diego Chargers | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | 0-0 | -- |
| St. Louis Rams | 0-0 | -- |
| Seattle Seahawks | 0-0 | -- |
| San Francisco 49ers | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 0-0 | -- |
| New York Giants | 0-0 | -- |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0-0 | -- |
| Washington Redskins | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 0-0 | -- |
| Detroit Lions | 0-0 | -- |
| Green Bay Packers | 0-0 | -- |
| Minnesota Vikings | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | 0-0 | -- |
| Carolina Panthers | 0-0 | -- |
| New Orleans Saints | 0-0 | -- |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 0-0 | -- |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| No scoring this quarter. | ||
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Carlos Hyde 10 yard rush ( Phil Dawson kick) | 0-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Phil Dawson 30 yard field goal | 0-10 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Vikings | Blair Walsh 37 yard field goal | 3-10 |
| 49ers | Carlos Hyde 17 yard rush ( Phil Dawson kick) | 3-17 |
| 49ers | Phil Dawson 25 yard field goal | 3-20 |
Colin Kaepernick threw for 165 yards and two touchdowns and Carlos Hyde ran for 168 yards and two touchdowns as the 49ers crushed the Minnesota Vikings 20-3 on Monday Night Football at Levi's Stadium. Teddy Bridgewater threw for 231 yards. The 49ers' defense produced four sacks. The 49ers improved to 1-0 in Jim Tomsula's debut.[1][2][3]
Carlos Hyde ran for 168 yards and two touchdowns Monday night at Levi's Stadium. The 49ers beat the Minnesota Vikings 20-3 in the kind of primetime debut where the new head coach's offense produced the kind of statement the new regime had hoped for.
Colin Kaepernick threw for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Anquan Boldin caught one. The 49ers' defense generated four sacks of Teddy Bridgewater. The kind of Monday-night primetime home win where the franchise's competitive identity, after the offseason departures, looked completely revamped.
The Vikings produced 3 points. Bridgewater threw 32-of-46 for 231 with no touchdowns. The kind of Monday-night opener where Jim Tomsula's regime got its first signature win in front of a national audience.
49ers 20, Vikings 3. Margin: +17. Season opener.
A 20-3 Monday Night Football home win over the Minnesota Vikings in Jim Tomsula's debut as the 49ers' head coach.
How it unfolded
Hyde ran in his first touchdown to give the 49ers a 7-0 lead. Kaepernick threw a touchdown to Boldin to make it 14-0. The Vikings kicked a field goal. The 49ers added a Phil Dawson field goal to make it 17-3 at halftime. The second half was a Hyde rushing TD to push it to 20-3. The 49ers' defense held the Vikings scoreless after the opening field goal.
The turning point
Hyde's opening-drive rushing touchdown. With Tomsula's NFL head-coaching debut in primetime and the new offense's identity still in question after the Harbaugh-Greg Roman departures, Hyde's score set the tone for the kind of opening night the new regime had been planning all offseason.
By the numbers
Kaepernick 17-of-26 for 165 with two TDs. Hyde 26 carries for 168 with two rushing TDs (his career-best). Boldin 5 catches for 50 with a TD. Bridgewater 32-of-46 for 231. The 49ers' four sacks of Bridgewater.
Personnel watch
Tomsula's debut producing the win. Hyde's career-best 168-yard game as the post-Frank Gore lead back. Kaepernick in his usual dual-threat efficient day. The kind of Monday-night home opener where the new regime got its first signature win.
What it means
1-0 with the Steelers on the road next Sunday. The Monday-night home win is the kind of debut the new regime needed. Pittsburgh, the AFC contender, is the next test.
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Colin Kaepernick | 17/26 | 165 | 0 | 0 | |
| MIN | |||||
| Teddy Bridgewater | 23/32 | 231 | 0 | 1 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Carlos Hyde | 26 | 168 | 2 | 18 |
| Colin Kaepernick | 7 | 41 | 0 | 12 |
| Jarryd Hayne | 4 | 13 | 0 | 9 |
| Reggie Bush | 2 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| MIN | ||||
| Adrian Peterson | 10 | 31 | 0 | 9 |
| Jerick McKinnon | 3 | 20 | 0 | 15 |
| Teddy Bridgewater | 3 | 16 | 0 | 10 |
| Matt Asiata | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Vernon Davis | 3 | 47 | 0 | 20 |
| Garrett Celek | 3 | 40 | 0 | 20 |
| Anquan Boldin | 4 | 36 | 0 | 15 |
| Carlos Hyde | 2 | 14 | 0 | 8 |
| Torrey Smith | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Jarryd Hayne | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Vance McDonald | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Bruce Ellington | 2 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
| MIN | ||||
| Mike Wallace | 6 | 63 | 0 | 19 |
| Kyle Rudolph | 5 | 53 | 0 | 19 |
| Matt Asiata | 2 | 28 | 0 | 21 |
| Charles Johnson | 2 | 27 | 0 | 18 |
| Jarius Wright | 1 | 27 | 0 | 27 |
| Adrian Peterson | 3 | 21 | 0 | 17 |
| Jerick McKinnon | 2 | 8 | 0 | 10 |
| Rhett Ellison | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Cordarrelle Patterson | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
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