The San Francisco 49ers have lost two 1-score games in a row. One crucial play was arguably the reason for their surprising defeat against the Minnesota Vikings last week.
The Niners lost 22-17 against the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn.
Minnesota held a modest 10-7 lead with just 16 seconds left in the first half of the Week 7 contest. The Vikings faced 3rd-and-15 from their own 40-yard line, which meant that one stop by the 49ers would have kept the deficit at 3 into halftime.
However, the 49ers employed a cover-0 defense on the play. That meant that the Niners defenders would go man-to-man with no defenders in deep coverage. The decision led to one epic 60-yard touchdown from Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison, who turned a near-interception into a 60-yard touchdown before the break (video here).
49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks has since admitted his mistake on the play call. Wilks spoke to the media Thursday for the first time since the loss.
“I take full responsibility for that call,” Wilks said, via 49ersWebZone.com’s David Bonilla. “I have to do a better job and put the guys in a better position. We have good players. I know that, and can’t really press the issue. And with that, moving forward, it’s my responsibility to do that. So I wish I could take it back, but again, I got to do better.”
The 49ers still had a chance to win the contest late. San Francisco cut the lead 22-17 after they converted on a field goal early in the 4th quarter. However, two interceptions thrown by quarterback Brock Purdy doomed the Niners’ chances at a comeback victory.
