49ers' house of horrors strikes again despite Fred Warner's early Defensive Player of the Year surge
Fred Warner did everything he could to end the San Francisco 49ers' long wait for a road win over the Minnesota Vikings. The problem was, his efforts came in a game in which the Niners as a collective did everything they could to lose. Eventually, the mistakes they made proved too much in a 23-17 […]
Fred Warner did everything he could to end the San Francisco 49ers' long wait for a road win over the Minnesota Vikings.
The problem was, his efforts came in a game in which the Niners as a collective did everything they could to lose. Eventually, the mistakes they made proved too much in a 23-17 defeat that means the 49ers still haven't won on the road in Minnesota since 1992.
Warner, undoubtedly the premier linebacker in the NFL, was phenomenal at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, following up an outstanding showing in San Francisco's dominant Week 1 win over the New York Jets with another instrumental showing that was critical in keeping the Niners in the game right until the end.
The first-team All-Pro intercepted former teammate Sam Darnold with the Vikings on the edge of the red zone and threatening to take a 17-0 lead in the second quarter.
Later, with the 49ers in far more desperate straits after the second of two Brock Purdy turnovers and Aaron Jones seemingly surging into the endzone to give Minnesota a 27-7 advantage, Warner punched the ball out and enabled San Francisco to recover at the one-yard line.
Twelve plays later, the 49ers were within a touchdown after Jordan Mason strolled into the endzone as he continues to deputize for Christian McCaffrey, and San Francisco had a chance to get a stop that would give Brock Purdy a chance to lead a game-winning drive. That opportunity came with Justin Jefferson out of the game with a quad injury.
Yet the 49ers summed up a bafflingly uneven performance by allowing a 14-play drive on which Darnold converted three third downs, the Vikings kicking a field goal that gave them a 23-14 lead with 3:30 remaining and the 49ers possessing no timeouts. Darnold did have the ball forced from his grasp by Warner on a scramble early in the drive, but it fell out of bounds.
It left the Niners scrambling to try to get a score before the two-minute warning, a task they were unable to achieve in part because of underwhelming clock management, San Francisco eventually kicking a chip shot field goal with 72 seconds remaining before an onside kick failed to even go 10 yards.
When it mattered the most, the 49ers couldn't execute. And that was fitting, given they spent the majority of the game failing to executed.
Indeed, across this game, the 49ers had a blocked punt, a 15-play drive end with a turnover on downs at the Minnesota one-yard line, another turnover on downs at the Minnesota 43, a Purdy interception and a Purdy fumble on a play where the ball simply slipped out of his hands.
The box score says the 49ers had two turnovers. In reality they had five in a game in which they went two of 10 on third down while the Vikings went seven for 12.
That is too much for one team to overcome, even with a defender at the top of his game performing heroics as Warner did so valiantly.
"The two turnovers were huge, that's what gave us a chance," head coach Kyle Shanahan said of Warner's performance, which also featured nine combined tackles and a sack.
Warner's teammates were more effusive in their praise.
Said tight end George Kittle: "He’s a fantastic football player. Leads the defense, always has energy, he’s everything you want in a 49er.
The way he plays is the standard for the defense, and he does a really good job of calling guys out when they don’t play at the standard he expects out of them. He’s everything you want in a MIKE linebacker and as a teammate.
Defensive end Nick Bosa added: “He’s playing at an even higher level than he was in the past, which is saying a lot. It’s fun to play with him, he’s like my security blanket out there, just knowing he’s there is huge."
Warner, though, saw nothing out of the ordinary about his display.
"I’ve always put a lot of pressure on myself," Warner said.
"I have the utmost confidence in my abilities and it’s not about me trying to make anything up, it’s just me trying to do my job and when the plays there it’s about me making it. I know my teammates rely on me to make those type of plays so it’s just another day."
It's a day the Niners will want to quickly put behind them because of their catalogue of errors.
Shanahan said of the 49ers' overall showing: "Too sloppy on our part, struggling on third down on both offense and defense.
"We didn't convert on third down, one of three on fourth down doesn't help, two of four in the red zone. It was a challenge today. We can do better."
Warner being the perfectionist that he is, will certainly find things that he can do better. However, with three forced fumbles and an interception to his name through two games, Warner has been a walking splash play for San Francisco, building a very early, but already compelling Defensive Player of the Year resume.
If nothing else, Warner's incredible efforts have been worthy of a 2-0 start. The 49ers' frustrating proclivity for gifting splash plays to the Vikings is the reason he isn't enjoying that.
George Kittle adds to Canton resume by surpassing Hall of Fame tight end during 49ers-Vikings
He added to an incredible list of achievements.
