The San Francisco 49ers are 1-0, and now look to move to 2-0 when they face the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. They'll square off with last year's backup quarterback, Sam Darnold, and a talented group of wide receivers, led by superstar Justin Jefferson. This game will be a bigger challenge for the 49ers defense than what they faced on Monday night.
Minnesota's defense is no slouch, but they're not as highly thought of as the New York Jets defense. Still, they blitz a lot, and the 49ers offense will need to figure out how to slow down that pass rush. The 49ers haven't won in Minnesota since 1992, when Steve Young was the quarterback, and Amp Lee was the running back.
We opened the 49ers Webzone Mailbag earlier this week to see what was on your mind. You asked, and we've answered. Let's take a look inside.
8 (consecutive) scoring drives...6 field goals. Should people be concerned about red zone offense? - Justin
It's too early to be concerned about the red zone offense. After all, Christian McCaffrey didn't play. Brandon Aiyuk was noticeably rusty. That will improve. There were mistakes, penalties, and ball calls that played a part, as well.
As Young said on Tuesday, we need to remember that September is the new preseason. What you see now is not what you'll see a month or two or three months from now. Every season, week one is filled with wins and losses that were unexpected. Some teams take longer to find their stride.
Going into the game on Monday Night, I was thinking that if the 49ers could at least squeak by with a win, I'd be happy. On the heels of a very distracting offseason, facing a good New York Jets defense, it was possible the 49ers could struggle in week one. But they didn't and they won convincingly. So I'm happy with the win. I'll worry about the red zone offense next month if the trend from Monday Night continues.
Now with Jordan Mason proving he can carry the load, should Kyle Shanahan spell CMC more regularly? Plus, last night the 49ers ran the ball 38 times. I believe this should be the norm. CMC with 20 carries, Mason with at least 12-15, the occasional Deebo and Juice carries. What's your take? - Johnny Y.
I love that plan. Let me give you a few reasons why.
First, it helps preserve McCaffrey, keeping him healthier and fresher down the stretch and in the postseason. And it could even help prolong his career. Especially considering the position he plays.
Second, it would give Jordan Mason more opportunities. Mason proved himself on Monday night, and though he likely wouldn't produce those results all the time, it was great to see he could be as effective as he was.
Third, I'd like to see Deebo Samuel used less in the run game. Yes, he's very effective, but his style of play is so physical that he is often injured. It's best if Samuel is used here and there, and not like he was on Monday night, as great as he is when he's used that way.
Fourth, McCaffrey and Mason would be a nice one-two punch. They're different runners and wear down defenses in different ways. Using Mason more could make the run game more dominant than it's been.
Will we continue to run even when CMC gets back? - Tee Jay
Kyle Shanahan will always want to run the ball. It's in his DNA. But will the 49ers run the ball as much as they did against the Jets? I'm not so sure. Shanahan must have seen something that led him to believe the offense would have more success running than passing. It's almost like he knew Javon Kinlaw played for the Jets and could be run on.
Matchups will determine how much the 49ers run the ball. But if they keep running it like they did Monday night, we may see it more than we saw the last couple of seasons.
Will the 49ers play Isaac Guerendo in week 2? - CG Ruthless
They have to figure out how to get the rookie in there if McCaffrey doesn't play. As I wrote earlier, Samuel doesn't need to run the ball as much. And Mason can't carry the ball 28 times each game. So they need to find a way to protect Mason and Samuel, and giving Isaac Guerendo more touches could help with that.
Now, if Shanahan and Bobby Turner aren't ready to trust the rookie, then perhaps giving Patrick Taylor some touches would help. I anticipate the 49ers giving Mason more help while McCaffrey is out.
What (or who) surprised you the most about the win over the Jets? - Ed H.
Well, I didn't realize that Mason would be as good as he was. And the offensive line surprised me, as well. They were dominant. Even Colton McKivitz, who I'm often hard on, was good. I shouldn't have been surprised Trent Williams would be his normal self, but he was. He barely practiced and was able to play almost every snap.
So I'd say the offensive line was my biggest surprise. They're the biggest weakness of this team, so if they can find a way to be much better, that could be excellent news for San Francisco.
How does Dak Prescott's new deal impact Brock Purdy's impending extension? - Dave B.
I hope it doesn't have any impact on Brock Purdy's new contract, but I'm afraid it will. No offense to Purdy, I'm a huge fan and supporter of his, but I'm not sure he's worth $60-$65 million per year. Dak Prescott sure isn't worth that. I'd pay Patrick Mahomes that kind of money. I'd pay some quarterbacks that kind of money who were legends in their prime. That would be guys like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Joe Montana, Dan Marino, John Elway, etc. But there are few current quarterbacks I'd pay that to right now.
I realize some fans may not like reading this. I really do love Purdy. He runs this offense as well as anyone has. But is he worth $60+ million per year? I'm just not sure, especially if you have to start letting go of some of your stars in order to keep him.
But I'm also acutely aware that it's taken the 49ers several years to find the right QB. None of us want to go on that journey of finding a new signal-caller anytime soon. And I'm also aware that the market is the market. And that's why Purdy will probably end up getting paid like Prescott.
Who do you think is the next to get inducted into the 49ers Hall of Fame? - Sasha R.
I had to look and see who's actually in the 49ers Hall of Fame. Thanks to David Bonilla, our managing editor, for sending me a list (although this list doesn't include Frank Gore). After looking over the current list, I'd have to say LB Keena Turner should be the next one. Bonilla mentioned DB Merton Hanks and LB Ken Norton, Jr. Those are both good ones, but Turner deserves it more, in my opinion. He was part of four Super Bowl winners. And while Hanks and Norton played on some good defenses, they weren't as good as the ones Turner played on. And those two won one Lombardi, not four.
Or how about some of the guys who protected Montana and Young? Guys like Harris Barton, Steve Wallace, Jesse Sapolu, and Guy McIntyre. All won multiple Super Bowls, as well.
In case you're wondering who I believe will be the next former 49ers player to be inducted in Canton (Pro Football Hall of Fame), I believe it will be Roger Craig. He's been close in recent years, and the hope is he's announced later this year.
That's all we have this week. We'll be back next week with a brand new mailbag, hopefully celebrating a 2-0 start.