The 49ers learned what it’s like to be the hunted, rather than the hunter, Sunday as a sluggish performance in Minneapolis led to their first loss of the year.
Were they buying into their own hype? Possibly, but the 10 a.m. West Coast start probably played a minimal role as well too. Here are the grades for the 49ers' 24-13 loss to Minnesota, which dropped the team to 2-1:
Offense: C-
QB Alex Smith came into the game not having thrown an interception in nine games (including playoffs), but that franchise-best streak of 249 regular-season pass attempts without a pick ended when Smith was intercepted late in the fourth quarter with the 49ers trailing 24-13. Smith also lost a fumble, as did RB Frank Gore. That’s three turnovers by an offense that had gone 30 regular-season quarters without giving the ball away, dating back to their Thanksgiving Day loss to Baltimore last season. Smith (24 of 35, 204 yards, 1 TD) wasn’t bad, but he wasn’t great either. The 49ers came out intent to throw the ball and never got Gore (12 carries, 63 yards) or the running game established.
Defense: C-
Against the run, the 49ers lived up to their billing. RB Adrian Peterson ran carried 25 times for just 89 yards (3.4 ypc), but the defense couldn’t figure out QB Christian Ponder and had difficulty getting off the field on third down. The Vikings converted on 7 of 14 attempts on third down and scored a fourth-down TD to cap a 16-play, 80-yard drive which opened the game. The usually dominant front-seven got very little pressure on Ponder (no sacks) and S Donte Whitner dropped what could have been an easy pick-six in the fourth quarter.
Special teams: B+
Kyle Williams might have been the bright spot of the game. He replaced Kendall Hunter on kickoff returns after Hunter took the first two of the game and took one 94 yards to set the 49ers up with a first-and-goal. Williams also looked elusive on punt returns. David Akers hit two FGs (long of 29) and had a FG blocked -- Leonard Davis was pushed back to allow the block.
Coaching: D+
For possibly the first time since coach Jim Harbaugh arrived in San Francisco, the 49ers didn’t appear like the more prepared team. They had four other losses under Harbaugh, but none of those losses seemed like the product of a superior coaching job by the opposition --Sunday’s game against the Vikings had that feel. Coincidently, it came with former 49ers coach Mike Singletary on the opposing sideline.
Follow 49ers reporter Kyle Bonagura on Twitter: @CBS49ers and @KyleBonagura.
