The San Francisco 49ers faced a tough defeat against the Minnesota Vikings, losing 22-17 in a game that left the team reflecting on missed opportunities and costly mistakes. Despite coming into the matchup as one of the top teams in the NFL, the loss dropped the 49ers’ record to 5-2, raising concerns about consistency as the season progresses.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged the team’s struggles, particularly on offense, where turnovers and missed chances were a key factor. “We didn’t execute well enough, plain and simple,” Shanahan said. “We had opportunities to take control of the game, but we didn’t capitalize on them, and that’s what hurt us the most.”
Shanahan also pointed out the impact of penalties and mistakes on defense. “When you give up big plays and commit penalties at the wrong time, it’s hard to come back from that,” he noted. “We didn’t play clean football, and that’s something we have to fix moving forward.”
Quarterback Brock Purdy, who had been one of the most consistent performers for the 49ers this season, took responsibility for the team’s offensive struggles. He threw two crucial interceptions in the fourth quarter, halting the 49ers’ comeback attempts.
“I’ve got to be better,” Purdy said in the post-game press conference. “Those turnovers were on me, and I can’t put the team in that situation. I need to make smarter decisions, especially when we’re in critical moments of the game.”
Purdy emphasized that the loss would serve as a learning experience, adding, “We’ll watch the tape, correct the mistakes, and come back stronger. We have a great team, and we know what we’re capable of. This one hurts, but we’ll use it to get better.”
Defensive leader Fred Warner expressed frustration with the team’s inability to stop the Vikings in key moments, particularly on third downs. “We didn’t do a good enough job getting off the field,” Warner said. “We pride ourselves on being a dominant defense, but tonight we didn’t play to that standard.”
Warner also credited the Vikings’ offense for taking advantage of the 49ers’ miscues, especially with quarterback Kirk Cousins spreading the ball effectively. “They made the plays they needed to make, and we didn’t,” Warner admitted. “We need to clean up the details and play more disciplined football if we want to win games like this.”
Tight end George Kittle, a key part of the 49ers’ offensive unit, echoed similar sentiments regarding the team’s execution. “It’s frustrating because we know we can play better,” Kittle said. “We had chances to take control of the game, but we didn’t make the plays when it mattered.”
Kittle also spoke about the importance of bouncing back from the loss. “It’s a long season, and every team is going to face adversity at some point. This is one of those moments for us. We just have to stay together, learn from this, and keep pushing forward.”
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