Bad morning, everyone. Bad morning. What a letdown of a game yesterday. Words cannot describe how I feel. Turds, maybe, but words, no. And I had to set the old alarm and wake up at 3am local time just to watch my favorite team get outclassed and outplayed down to the last man. I'm going to struggle to find bright spots here, people. The only positive thing you can say is that it really looked like the travel and early start left us flat. Is that the best thing one can say?
There were a couple positives to take from it. Kyle Williams had two long kickoff returns. Michael Crabtree converted a few third downs and Vernon Davis caught a touchdown and we forced three fumbles, although that had more to do with Toby Gerhart's hands (he had all three in a span of about 5 minutes). That was it. Christian Ponder outplayed Alex Smith, Adrian Peterson was better than Frank Gore, we had three turnovers for the first time in the Jim Harbaugh era, including Alex's first INT since last Thanksgiving and had a FG blocked. I had planned to get into a nice, long post, but had the wind knocked out of me and only slept four hours so it could happen. Sigh.
In Aaron news, starting this week, I'll be writing a few posts for Bay Area SB Nation. Typical 49ers stuff that you all know and love. I'll link to it from the Nuggets so you can check it out if you like. Remember, clicks pay the bills and keep us going. So...click, click, click.
San Francisco falls on the road 24-13. (Bay Area SB Nation)
WEEK 3 RECAPS: VIKINGS 24, 49ERS 13
Final: Vikings 24, 49ers 13. (Inman)
49ers fall 24-13 in Minnesota. (49ers.com)
Vikings take it to 49ers in Randy Moss' homecoming. (Maiocco)
Vikings upset flat 49ers, 24-13. (Branch)
POSTGAME ANALYSIS
BASG has some tough questions for the 49ers after they got beaten in nearly every aspect of the game. They had the chance to sneak out of Minnesota with an ugly win but were not even able to manage that. Donte Whitner dropping an interception he should have returned for a pick-6 and Kyle Williams' 94-yard kickoff return netting 3 points are a few of the key sequences that stand out. | 5 questions for 49ers, who aren't perfect after all. (BASG)
I'll quickly summarize what Mike Sando liked from the game. Third-down success, Alex Smith to Vernon Davis once again, a Justin Smith tackle and Kyle Williams' two big kickoff returns. That's it. Those are the highlights of the game. What Sando disliked? Everything else. | Wrap-up: Vikings 24, 49ers 13. (Sando)
The turning point in the game was the blocked field goal toward the end of the first half. We were marching down for a score, the Vikings tightened up and held us. Then our field goal was blocked. They turned around and put up three points of their own. And that's a momentum changer folks. | Postgame analysis: Vikings 24, 49ers 13. (CBS Sports)
Random notes from San Francisco loss. (Brady)
Stumbles on offense doom 49ers in 24-13 loss to Vikings. (Gin)
Maiocco's instant replay: Vikings 24, 49ers 13. (Maiocco)
Randy Moss does little in return to Minnesota. (ProFootballTalk)
Week 3 grades: Vikings stun 49ers, 24-13. (Cohn)
Postgame quotes: "We were the team to beat." (Inman)
Alex Smith laments two passes to Moss that got away. (Barrows)
Impressions from 49ers' comprehensive 24-13 loss. (Lynch)
Injury report: Patrick Willis and Isaac Sopoaga walking fine. (Maiocco)
49ers get extra timeout, Dashon Goldson disputes roughness call. (Maiocco)
Letdown? More like a beatdown in 49ers' loss. (Maiocco)
Notebook: Vernon Davis stays hot. (49ers.com)
Kyle Williams gives 49ers spark, but offense squanders returns. (Barrows)
49ers lethargic loss no reason for panic. (SFGate)
Frank Gore has 12 carries in pass-heavy game plan. (Branch)
Randy Moss barely makes a peep in 49ers' defeat. (Inman)
Gore runs well, but not often. (Branch)
Referee admits error favoring 49ers. (Sando)
INGAME ANALYSIS
Halftime report: Vikings 17, 49ers 3. (Inman)
Impressions in a disappointing first half. (Lynch)
Halftime: Plenty to Ponder with 49ers down two TDs. (Barrows)
Halftime report: Vikings 17, 49ers 3. (Maiocco)
VIDEOS
Game highlights: 49ers at Vikings. (49ers.com)
Press Pass: Alex Smith. (49ers.com)
Press Pass: Jim Harbaugh. (49ers.com)
Matt & Mindi: 49ers beat by team that's not as good. (CSN Bay Area)
Cover 2: 49ers at Vikings. (49ers.com)
49ers come up short on the road. (49ers.com)
Being a Sheep
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