How PFF graded Purdy, 49ers in mistake-filled loss to Vikings

How PFF graded Purdy, 49ers in mistake-filled loss to Vikings originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The 49ers had a sloppy performance in their 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium, but there were a few standout performances mixed in with the mistakes that unfolded in all three phases of the game.

A week after San Francisco‘s defense stifled the New York Jets, Minnesota was able to move the ball well, gaining over 400 yards of offense on only 54 plays, or 7.5 yards per play. Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold finished the day completing 17 of his 26 attempts for 268 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

But it wasn’t just through the air where the Vikings were successful — it was on the ground, too, with 24 rushing attempts for 146 yards, including Darnold, who carried the ball five times for 32 yards. It was uncharacteristic to see the 49ers’ defense break containment to that extent.

On the other side of the ball, the 49ers’ offense clearly missed Christian McCaffrey‘s presence after he was placed on injured reserve and will miss at least the next three games as well.

Jordan Mason did an admirable job carrying the ball 20 times for 100 yards while also recording one catch for four yards, but he does not stress opposing defenses as much as the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year can.

Brock Purdy completed 28 of his 36 attempts for 319 yards with one touchdown, one interception and one fumble. Some of the quarterback’s attempts were incredibly accurate, including a fourth-down attempt to Jauan Jennings on the sideline and another to Deebo Samuel on the other side of the field later in the game.

And then there were other attempts by Purdy that were less accurate, including the interception that was intended for Kyle Juszczyk and the fumble that slipped out of his hand as he attempted a throw.

On special teams, a blocked punt and a muffed punt return added to a mistake-filled performance that kept the team from leaving Minneapolis with a victory. But there were a few outstanding performances, especially the first player on the list who has the highest grade of any defensive player over the first two weeks of the season.

Here are the 49ers PFF grades for Week 2:

Defense

LB Fred Warner – 95.8

Warner was the star of the game, and after two weeks, the All-Pro is the highest-graded defensive player by PFF in the league. The linebacker was on the field for all 54 defensive plays and registered nine total tackles — seven solo — with one quarterback sack, five run stops and two forced fumbles.

The star defender also was elite in coverage, allowing only one catch on three targets for 16 yards, while also snagging one interception and breaking up another pass.

Warner’s run defense grade of 80.9 was the best on the team, as was his coverage grade of 94.2

CB Deommodore Lenoir – 81.8

Lenoir earned the second-highest coverage grade behind Warner at 85.8, allowing one completion on three targets for 16 yards. The cornerback also registered six total tackles — three solo.

CB Charvarius Ward  – 54.6

Ward allowed one catch for 10 yards on two targets, but that reception was a missed read that allowed receiver Jalen Nailor to get open behind the Pro Bowl corner for an easy touchdown from Darnold.

S Ji’Ayir Brown — 40.2

The second-year safety received the lowest overall grade on the team due to his 37.8 coverage grade after missing Justin Jefferson on the All-Pro’s 97-yard touchdown reception, which Brown explained after the game.

“I got to be better,” Brown said. “I kind of left my safety hanging there. I just got to be better. I had Jefferson over the over, and he got Jefferson on the up and out. Jefferson stemmed inside, kind of slowed me down and then took the roof off of it.”

DE Nick Bosa — 78.5

Bosa was the highest-graded lineman on the team. He was on the field for 29 pass-rush plays, registering two quarterback sacks and one hurry. The All-Pro defensive end also was in coverage on one play, allowing one catch for seven yards.

Bosa’s 73.2 run defense grade was the second highest on the team.

Other Defensive Line Grades

Kevin Givens – 80.5; one sack, one hit

Javon Hargrave – 68.0; two hurries

Yetur Gross-Matos – 66.5; one hit, two hurries

Maliek Collins – 58.8; one hurry

Leonard Floyd – 47.6; no pressures

Offense

QB Brock Purdy – 61.2

The 49ers quarterback was charged with with three turnover-worthy plays — one fumble, one interception and one dropped interception on a deep ball to tight end George Kittle in the fourth quarter. That total is the most for Purdy since Week 8 of the 2023 NFL season in the 49ers’ loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

The 49ers used play action on just three of 45 dropbacks, or 6.7 percent, which is the lowest percentage in Purdy’s career. It matches the 49ers’ use of play action only three times in 33 dropbacks the last time the 49ers lost to the Vikings in 2023.

Purdy completed nine of his 11 pass attempts for 155 yards on intermediate throws, which are 10 to 19 yards downfield. Over the first two weeks, Purdy 16 of 18 for 275 yards on such throws.

WR Deebo Samuel – 81.6

Samuel hauled in eight catches on 10 targets for 110 yards, six of which were for first downs. Of his 110 receiving yards, 94 came through the air with only 16 yards after the catch.

Offensive Line Grades

While the stat sheet shows Purdy was sacked six times, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan doesn’t believe the offensive line should take all the blame. PFF agrees, only giving two sacks to the O-line — one to Trent Williams and the other to Aaron Banks.

“You’ve got to look at all the sacks,” Shanahan said. “I believe one was from a hit that we didn’t throw, we just got hit in the back on one play. So we’ve got to get rid of that. I think three of them, one was scrambling for a 0-yard run. I think another was scrambling and diving for a negative 1-yard run, we didn’t have one side open, he went to the other. There were definitely a couple sacks in there, especially on third down.

LT Trent Williams – one sack, one hit, two hurries

LG Aaron Banks – one sack, one hurry

C Jake Brendel – one hit, one hurry

RG Dominick Puni – three hurries

RT Colton McKivitz – one hit, five hurries

“I thought they run blocked well,” Shanahan said. “… When you see six sacks, you assume it’s a real tough day on the O-line, but I credit that more to the whole offense. A few are definitely on them, but definitely not all six of them. Everyone has to do better, but that number six is a little unfair to them.”

Odds and ends:

The Vikings blitzed on 23 of Purdy’s 45 dropbacks, or 51.1 percent. Four of the six sacks and Purdy’s interception came when the Vikings’ defense blitzed.

The 49ers blitzed on just four of Darnold’s 33 dropbacks, and the Vikings quarterback completed all four of his attempts for 133 yards and a touchdown when blitzed, including the 97-yard touchdown play to Jefferson.

Darnold was under pressure on just nine of his 33 dropbacks.

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