Christian McCaffrey gave a commendable performance for San Francisco, but it wasn’t sufficient on Monday evening.
The Minnesota Vikings narrowly clinched a victory, stunning the 49ers with a 22-17 win at U.S. Bank Stadium during their “Monday Night Football” encounter in Minneapolis. This defeat marked back-to-back losses for the 49ers, following a strong 5-0 start to the season.
McCaffrey notched his first touchdown right before the halftime whistle with a 3-yard dash, pushing his consecutive scoring streak to 16 games. He’s now only behind Lenny Moore, who holds the NFL record with scores in 17 consecutive games.
With slightly over a minute remaining in the second quarter, McCaffrey’s touchdown narrowed the Vikings’ lead to a mere three points. However, Jordan Addison managed a remarkable 60-yard touchdown, turning a potential interception into points. A missed PAT left the Vikings ahead 16-7 at halftime.
Addison’s earlier 20-yard touchdown catch had kickstarted the scoring in the opening quarter.
In the third quarter, as the Vikings were on the brink of scoring at the 1-yard line, the 49ers’ defense held firm, limiting them to a field goal. Shortly after, McCaffrey showcased his prowess with a 35-yard touchdown run, his second for the night, reducing the deficit to just five.
The 49ers had opportunities to regain the lead after both teams exchanged field goals. However, quarterback Brock Purdy’s ill-timed pass was intercepted by Camryn Bynum. Purdy’s second interception to Bynum, with the clock ticking down to the final 30 seconds, sealed the Vikings’ five-point victory.
Purdy completed 21 of his 30 pass attempts, throwing for 272 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. McCaffrey accumulated 45 yards on the ground from 15 attempts and added 51 receiving yards from three receptions. George Kittle contributed with 78 receiving yards from five catches.
On the Vikings’ side, Kirk Cousins had an impressive 35 completions out of 45 attempts, racking up 378 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Addison made significant contributions with 124 yards and two touchdowns from seven receptions, while T.J. Hockenson added 86 yards from 11 catches.
Stay updated with Yahoo Sports for all the latest developments, highlights, and injuries as the 49ers battle the Vikings in “Monday Night Football” during Week 7.
