49ers’ defense, once depleted, is back at full strength and it showed against the Vikings
Dee Ford, Jaquiski Tartt and Kwon Alexander all returned from injury in Saturday's divisional-round playoff game against the Vikings, and it showed.
SANTA CLARA — Even in the waning moments of the 49ers’ utter dominance Saturday, Kirk Cousins couldn’t escape the wrath.
On this particular play, it wasn’t Nick Bosa or Arik Armstead or DeForest Buckner. No, on the fifth of six sacks Cousins would take in the 49ers’ 27-10 win, this one came with Solomon Thomas’ hands around his ankles.
That even the second stringers were getting in on the sack parade was indicative of how this one went.
“They took it to us,” said Vikings receiver Adam Thielen. “They punched us in the mouth.”
But the 49ers defense did not come for Cousins. It did not come for Thielen, or Stefon Diggs, or the Vikings passing game, at all, really. The 49ers were set on neutralizing running back Dalvin Cook.
“It was the No. 1 emphasis all week,” Bosa said. “We knew we were facing probably the best back we’ve faced all year in Dalvin. We knew we had to earn the right to pass-rush. So we took the run as serious as we could, shut it down.
“Then we ate,” he added with a smile.
Cook, who finished the regular season with 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns, rushed nine times for 18 yards. It was his fewest rushing yards since halfway through last season — 21 weeks.
“We just never got a rhythm and they were just able to fly around and make plays,” Cook said.
From midway through the first quarter until the four-minute mark of the fourth, the Vikings didn’t move the sticks once. At one point, the first-down schism widened to as far as 20 for the 49ers to Minnesota’s four. (The Vikings used garbage time to pull within 21-7 by the end.) Overall, Minnesota put up a measly 147 yards on 45 plays, an average of 3.3 yards per play.
While Bosa’s stat sheet may be the most eye-popping – six tackles, two sacks, three QB hits, one pass breakup — it couldn’t have happened without the returns of Dee Ford, Jaquiski Tartt and Kwon Alexander.
Their returns also meant the return of the dominant defense the 49ers saw in the first half of the season.
“Getting Dee back and getting Kwon and Tartt and just having them on the field, it’s a completely different energy,” Bosa said. “It’s the energy we had early in the year.”
Diggs gave a sigh and admitted it was the toughest defense Minnesota had faced all season.
“You gotta say that,” he said. “They held us to 10 points.”
The 49ers were averaging 11 points and 224.4 yards allowed per game entering Week 9. Then the attrition began.
Alexander tore his pectoral muscle in a Week 9 loss at Arizona. Ford has been essentially lost since suffering a hamstring injury two weeks later at home against the Cardinals. The final — and possibly most consequential — blow came in Week 13 when Tartt fractured his ribs.
In the games since, San Francisco allowed 25.9 points and 326.4 yards per game. Against the Vikings, they reminded everyone what they could do.
Alexander, while limited, was back at linebacker on the first play of the game. Tartt provided much-needed cover over the top. Ford lined up next to Bosa on the right side of the 49ers defensive line and delivered a lethal combo. He joined the parade in the backfield in the second quarter, bringing down Cousins as one of five 49ers to record a sack.
“It has other teams trying to find answers. Just having Dee is a huge boost for the D-line,” Bosa said. “… His presence, his knowledge and communication and his pass-rushing ability, he’s a true vet and it’s nice to have him out there.”
Bosa made his home in the Vikings backfield. Of course, he wouldn’t let anyone else get the final sack. He burst into the backfield immediately following Thomas to bring down Cousins once again, for the sixth and final time.