Game Summary
The Minnesota Vikings (2-0) will play in front of their home crowd for the first time in the 2009 regular season when they take on the San Francisco 49ers (2-0) this Sunday, September 27. Kickoff at the Metrodome is set for noon (CT).
Sunday’s matchup will be the 44th time the two teams have met, with the 49ers holding a 22-20-1 edge in the series. The Vikings have won 3 of the last 4, including the most recent game, a 27-7 victory in 2007. This week’s game will feature 2 of the top 3 RBs in the NFL this season in Adrian Peterson (1st - 272) and Frank Gore (3rd - 237).
Key Links
49ers at Vikings Press Release (PDF)
Latest Vikings Depth Chart
Gameweek Audio / MP3s
Coming later this week...
Broadcast Info
TV: KMSP Channel 9 in the Twin Cities
Play-By-Play: Sam Rosen Analysts: Jim Ryan
Sideline Reporter: None
RADIO: KFAN-AM 1130/KTLK 100.3-FM
Play-by-Play: Paul Allen Analyst: Pete Bercich
Sideline Reporter: Greg Coleman
Pre-Game Show: 10:00 a.m. CT
KFAN and KTLK serve as the flagship stations for the 74-station, 6-state Minnesota Vikings Radio Network. Click here to view all stations on the Vikings Radio Network.
What To Watch For
- Sunday’s game will feature the 2 leading rushers in the NFC and 2 of the top 3 in the NFL through the first 2 weeks in Adrian Peterson (1st - 272) and Frank Gore (3rd - 237).
- The Vikings and 49ers are 2 of only 4 teams that have just 1 turnover in 2009; neither team has given up an interception this season.
- With a receiving TD, WR Percy Harvin will break the team record for the most consecutive games with a TD at the start of a rookie season. Harvin has TD receptions through the first 2 games, which ties Sammy White’s record in 1976.
- If the Vikings don’t allow a Lions running back to reach 100 rushing yards, it will be the 26th consecutive game the Vikings haven’t given up 100 yards rushing to an individual. That is the 2nd-longest current streak behind the Baltimore Ravens 37. The last player to rush for 100 yards against the Vikings was Packers RB Ryan Grant on 11/11/07 (102 yards).
- The Vikings will sellout the 118th consecutive game at the Metrodome, dating back to 1998. Of the regular season and postseason games (92) during that stretch, the Vikings are 64-29-0 (68.8%) in the friendly confines of the Metrodome.
- With a 50-yard FG, K Ryan Longwell will tie a Vikings record for the most career 50-yard FGs. He currently has 7 as a Viking and Faud Reveiz (1990-95) owns the team record with 8.
Stats of the Week
- The Vikings win at Detroit marked just the 3rd time the team has opened a season with back-to- back road wins (‘74, ‘97). The Vikings have started just 5 of the 49 seasons with 2 road games.
- RB Adrian Peterson’s 272 rushing yards through the first 2 games is a team record, breaking Robert Smith’s 269 yards through the first 2 games of the 1998 season.
- QB Brett Favre’s completion percentage of 85.2 (23 of 27) at Detroit sets a team record for the highest completion percentage in a single game, breaking Randall Cunningham’s 84.0% (21 of 25) at Tampa Bay on 11/1/98. It was also Favre’s best career percentage.
- QB Brett Favre set a new NFL record for the most consecutive starts with his 271st at Detroit.
Vikings Big Days vs. 49ers
- WR Bernard Berrian caught his 1st-career TD pass against the 49ers on 10/31/04 on a 49-yard strike from Chicago QB Craig Krenzel.
- QB Brett Favre completed 20-of-27 passing attempts (74.1%) for 266 yards, 1 TD and a 117.2 passer rating on 10/15/00 as a member of the Green Bay Packers.
- Favre was precise in the 1995 Divisional Playoffs at San Francisco (1/6/96), hitting on 21-of-28 passes (then a team post-season record completion percentage of 75.0) for 299 yards and 2 TDs and a 132.9 passer rating, directing the Packers to a 27-17 triumph over the former Super Bowl champs.
- Favre then broke his own record for postseason completion percentage in 2001 when he completed 22-of-29 passing (75.9%) against the 49ers on 1/13/02 in the Wild Card round. He posted 269 yards and 2 TDs and a rating of 112.6 in the victory.
- LB Chad Greenway led the Vikings with 13 tackles, including 1 for a loss, when the teams last met at Monster Park on 12/9/07.
- CB Cedric Griffin tied a career-high with 3 passes defensed and forced a fumble when the teams last met at Monster Park on 12/9/07.
- LB E.J. Henderson led the Vikings in tackles with 11, including 1 for a loss, when the teams met on 11/5/06. Henderson also recorded 6 tackles and 2 FRs when the teams last met at Monster Park on 12/9/07.
- RB Chester Taylor caught a career-high 8 passes for 45 yards and added 96 yards on 26 carries against the 49ers on 11/5/06.
- Taylor also rushed for 101 yards and a TD on 8 carries, including a 84-yard score, when the teams last met at Monster Park on 12/9/07. It was the 3rd-longest run in Vikings history. Taylor added 23 yards on 3 catches.
- DT Kevin Williams tied a record by scoring his 4th career defensive TD on a 18-yard INT return when the teams last met at Monster Park on 12/9/07. It was also Williams’ 4th career INT, a Vikings team record for defensive linemen.
- DT Kevin Williams had previously recorded the first 2.0 sacks of his career when he pulled down 49ers QB Tim Rattay vs. San Francisco in 2003.
- DT Pat Williams had 8 tackles, 1.0 sack, and 1 FR when the teams last met at Monster Park on 12/9/07.
A Win Would... - Give the Vikings their first 3-0 start since 2003, when the team started 6-0.
- Give the Vikings their 12th win in the last 15 regular season games, dating back to 11/2/08. The Vikings are 11-3 in the last 14 games.
- Give the Vikings their 4th win in the last 5 matchups against the 49ers.
- Improve the Vikings all-time record against the 49ers to 21-22-1.
- Give the Vikings a home record of 13-9-0 against the 49ers.
- Improve Head Coach Brad Childress’ all-time record against the 49ers to 2-1.
- Move the Vikings to within 2 victories of 400 regular-season wins as an organization. The Vikings current all-time record is 397-322-9.
- Give the Vikings an all-time record of 59-53-3 against the NFC West and 9-7-2 against the division during the month of September.
Vikings vs. 49ers Series Notes
- The Vikings trail the all-time series against the 49ers with a 20-22-1 record.
- This will be the first time the teams have met at the Metrodome since 2003, with the last 2 matchups taking place in San Francisco. The teams split those contests, with the Vikings winning the most recent matchup (2007) 27-7.
- The Vikings hold a 12-9 edge when the games are played in Minnesota, including victories in 4 of the last 5 meetings in Minneapolis.
- The Vikings have won 3 of the last 4 games against the 49ers, outscoring the 49ers 105-39 in those games.
- The Vikings are 6-3-1 against the 49ers in September.
- The Vikings have played the 49ers 5 times in Divisional Playoff games, with 4 of those games at San Francisco. The Vikings are 1-4 in those playoff games.
- This is the 3rd time in 4 seasons the Vikings will meet their counterparts from the NFC West.
- The Vikings 2 coaches who previously spent time with the 49ers: offensive line coach Pat Morris (1997-2003) & wide receivers coach George Stewart (1996-2002).
- Head Coach Brad Childress is 1-1 against the 49ers, losing 9-3 at San Francisco in 2006 and winning the following year 27-7.
Vikings On 49ers QB Shaun Hill
In 2002 the Vikings signed a rookie free agent class that included Maryland QB Shaun Hill, who has climbed into the starting QB spot with the San Francisco 49ers and has a 9-3 mark as the starter. Hill’s NFL tutelage from 2002-05 with the Vikings resulted with him serving as the 3rd QB and seeing time in a lone game- in the 2005 regular season finale against Chicago to kill the clock.
For several Vikings who were teammates with Hill in Minnesota or at Maryland, the ascension is not shocking. “Shaun was always a guy who was going to work at it,” said Vikings TE Jeff Dugan, one of Hill’s closest friends and a teammate with the Terrapins and Vikings. “He never lost focus on his goals and learned as much as he could every day. He’s a smart player and knows how to make the most of his skills. When we were in school he won a couple games with two-minute drives that a lot of guys could not have pulled off.”
Another former Maryland teammate, S Madieu Williams, saw the glimmer of a star early with Hill. “Shaun’s one of the hardest workers I know,” Williams said. “He’s smart, makes good decisions and most of all is a true leader. He leads by example and has the innate ability to respond in tough situations and lead a team.”
