49ers own mistakes vs. Vikings, know they must ‘play smarter’

49ers own mistakes vs. Vikings, know they must ‘play smarter’ originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

MINNEAPOLIS — The 49ers‘ defense couldn’t get the Vikings off the field when they needed to in their 23-17 loss on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Fred Warner had an All-Pro performance, registering nine tackles — seven solo, including one for a loss — while also snagging an interception and forcing two fumbles. But it was mistakes by everyone that kept the 49ers from leaving Minneapolis with a win.

“It’s too many ‘My bads,’ too many ‘Hey man, I’ll try to do better next time,’ — me included,” Warner said after the game. “I think of the plays I want back in this game, and we got to play more together as a team. We just got to do our job and play smart football and the rest will take care of itself.”

The Vikings converted seven of their 12 third-down situations and had several explosive plays that were results of missed assignments and blown coverages. Quarterback Sam Darnold completed 17 of his 26 attempts for 268 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception.

Both touchdowns were plays that the 49ers secondary could have approached much more efficiently. The first, a 97-yard touchdown from Darnold to receiver Justin Jefferson, was a missed assignment by safety Ji’Ayir Brown, who admitted his gaffe 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.”

The second-year safety gave credit to Darnold, his former teammate, but believes the explosive plays could have been prevented with better decision-making.

Darnold’s second touchdown was another mistake, but this time by Charvarius Ward. The veteran cornerback admitted how he misdiagnosed the play, explaining that he believed Jalen Nailor was making a run-blocking move. Once the receiver got behind Ward in the end zone, he was an easy target for his quarterback.

“[Darnold] played good, but we gave them a bunch of things that they shouldn’t have had,” Ward said after the game. “But he’s a a good quarterback.”

There is no panic from the 49ers’ defenders, who know they still have long season in front of them that will be even longer if they don’t clean up their mistakes.

“We are talented, we do play hard, we just got to play smarter,” Warner said.

It is back to the drawing board for the 49ers, who will travel to Los Angeles for their first divisional game against the Rams on Sunday, Sept. 22 at SoFi Stadium.

Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast