The San Francisco 49ers were in the red zone four times against the Minnesota Vikings but came away with points just once — on a touchdown pass from quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to rookie wide receiver Dante Pettis.

"When you're one of four in the red zone, when you lose the turnover battle three to one, when you have some of those drops, some of those missed plays down there, it's very hard to beat a good team," head coach Kyle Shanahan said after the game.


After any loss, especially an opener, it's easy for fans to start searching for answers, for ways to create an immediate improvement. One player who is still waiting for the right opportunity to present itself is wide receiver Dez Bryant.

One 49ers great who didn't sound too confident in the ex-Dallas Cowboys receiver being able to help the team is Hall of Famer Jerry Rice.

"I think he could help the team as a veteran with his experience," Rice said on 95.7 The Game Monday morning. "I am a big fan of Dez Bryant but my thing over the years with Dez is that he just cannot get separation from defensive backs."

Could a receiver like Bryant join a team and be ready to contribute right away? What about the learning curve of an offense as complicated as Shanahan's?

"I don't think it would be that difficult because you're probably going to try to bring someone in that has some experience," Rice added.


The Vikings beat the 49ers 24-16 on Sunday. The status of wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, who left the game with a quadriceps contusion, is not yet known.

San Francisco will use this week to prepare for its home opener against the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Levi's Stadium.

Click here to listen to the entire conversation with Rice.

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