| 49ers WR Randy Moss will make his first trip to the Metrodome as a visiting player Sunday. (US Presswire) |
49ers at Vikings -- Week 3
Where: Mall of America Field -- Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minn. (turf, indoors)
When: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
Spread: 49ers by 7
Records: Vikings (Overall: 1-1, NFC North: 0-0); 49ers (Overall: 2-0, NFC West: 0-0)
Past results: Two most recent meetings -- Sept.. 27, 2009: Vikings 27, 49ers 24; Dec. 9, 2007: Vikings 27, 49ers 7. Series record: 49ers lead the series 22-21-1.
What matters: After wins against Green Bay and Detroit to open the season, the bar has been raised for the 49ers. While expectations were much higher than in recent memory before the season started, they're sky high through two weeks. If you scour the internet for power rankings, San Francisco tops just about every one of them and has been billed as the most complete team in football. It's for good reason. QB Alex Smith ranks second in the NFL in passer rating and can now be viewed as an asset rather than a liability. Minnesota split its first two games, but the loss to Indianapolis, led by former Jim Harbaugh protégé Andrew Luck, is worrisome. Common logic says if the Vikings can't beat the Colts they don't have a shot against the 49ers.
Who matters: 49ers WR Randy Moss makes his return to the place where he blossomed into one of the all-time greats. Moss downplayed the return to Minneappolis, but said: "I'm looking forward to just hearing the Metrodome rock. Now I'm with the away team, and I look forward to a good game." Moss has five catches through two games for 61 yards and a TD. His involvement has been minimal, but a breakout game from him wouldn't be a surprise.
Key matchups: Vikings DE Jared Allen vs. 49ers LT Joe Staley. Allen, who is generally considered among the top pass rushers in the NFL, was held without a sack in each of the Vikings' first two games. He'll be itching to get to QB Alex Smith, who has taken the most sacks (51) in the NFL since Harbaugh arrived. For Smith, sacks are sometimes a necessity because they're better than INTs and sometimes a product of buying more time to make a throw. Expect Allen to get to Smith at some point -- it's only a matter of time before it happens and the percentages indicate Smith is the most likely candidate.
Injuries of note: 49ers RB Brandon Jacobs did not practice this week with a knee injury and is listed as questionable. It seems unlikely he'll play considering he hasn't practiced since early in the preseason. WR Ted Ginn returned to practice in a limited capacity this week but looked unaffected by his ankle injury. He's also listed as questionable, but is a more likely to play than Jacobs. Vikings LB Erin Henderson will miss the game due to a concussion.
Inside stuff: Smith hasn't been intercepted in nine-straight games, including the playoffs, which includes 216 pass attempts during the regular season. He's still got a ways to go before catching New England's Tom Brady, who has the all-time record (358). Smith has completed 70.2 percent of his passes, which ranks fifth in the NFL. Minnesota QB Christian Ponder has the highest completion percentage at 75.8 percent.
Connections: Vikings special assistant to the head coach/LB coach Mike Singletary preceded Harbaugh as the coach of the 49ers. Here is a list of guys who were teammates in college: Patrick Willis and Jamarca Sanford (Ole Miss, 2004-06); 49ers CB Carlos Rogers and Vikings WR Devin Aromashodu (Auburn, 2002-04), 49ers TE Vernon Davis and Vikings LB Erin Henderson (Maryland, 2005-05); 49ers DT Ray McDonald and Vikings WR Percy Harvin (Florida, 2006); 49ers S Donte Whitner and Vikings WR Michael Jenkins (Ohio State, 2003); 49ers CB Tarell Brown and Vikings DE Brian Robison (Texas, 2003-06); 49ers TE/DL Demarcus Dobbs and Vikings K Blair Walsh (Georgia, 2008-10); 49ers CB Chris Culliver and Vikings LB Jasper Brinkley (South Carolina, 2007-08); 49ers DT Ian Williams and Vikings S Harrison Smith and TE Kyle Rudolph (Notre Dame, 2008-10).
Stat you should know: Minnesota WR Percy Harvin has 18 catches despite being targeted only 21 times. It's the best catch-to-target ratio in the NFL of players with at least 12 catches.
Record watch: With his next attempt, RB Frank Gore will be the all-time 49ers leader in carries. Gore, who already is the 49ers all-time leading rusher, will pass Roger Craig (1,686) for the most attempts.
Looking ahead: After its game with the Vikings, the 49ers will spend next week in Youngstown, Ohio instead of returning the Bay Area. The week in Ohio precedes a trip to New Jersey to play the New York Jets.
Prediction: 49ers 38, Vikings 14
Follow 49ers reporter Kyle Bonagura on Twitter: @CBS49ers and @KyleBonagura.