The San Francisco 49ers return from their bye week to play host to the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Divisional Round. To get here, the Vikings stunned the Saints in the Superdome in the wild-card round, clinched by Kirk Cousins finding Kyle Rudolph in the back of the end zone to secure the overtime win. Drew Brees and the Saints offense never got to touch the ball in overtime.
The first-round bye came at a perfect time for the 49ers, as the team enters the matchup the healthiest its been since the start of the year. San Francisco will be aided by the return of safety Jaquiski Tartt (ribs), defensive end Dee Ford (quad/hamstring) and guard Mike Person (neck) – only Ford is listed on the injury report as questionable. On top of that, coach Kyle Shanahan said linebacker Kwon Alexander (torn pectoral) will be activated from injured reserve. Alexander has been sidelined since the team’s Week 9 win over the Cardinals.
Shanahan loves running the ball and the 49ers’ 23 rushing touchdowns led the league this season. They’ll be facing stiff competition, however, as Minnesota’s eight rushing touchdowns allowed this season ranks third-best in the league. That unit allowed 21 yards to Alvin Kamara and 97 total rushing yards in the win over the Saints. On the other side of the ball, San Francisco’s defense will be tasked with stopping running back Dalvin Cook, who recorded two touchdowns in the wild-card round.
The Vikings defeated the 49ers 24-16 during their last meeting in 2018.GettyWhat time is the game?
Saturday, January 11 at 4:35 p.m. ET
Where is the game taking place?
The 49ers are hosting the game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
How can I watch?
The game will air on NBC. The live stream is available at NBCsports.com/live and on the NBC Sports app. All NFL playoff games can also be streamed on the Yahoo Sports mobile app.
Viewers can livestream the game with a subscription to fuboTV. First-time users can sample fuboTV with a seven-day free trial.
What is the weather forecast?
It will be partly cloudy with a high of 56 degrees and low of 40 degrees. There is a 20 percent chance of rain and there will be 15 mph winds.
Who is favored to win?
The 49ers are favored by seven points. The over/under is set at 44.5 points.
Who will the winner play in next week’s NFC Championship Game?
The winner will play the winner of the Seahawks-Packers game.
Matchup history
The all-time series is tied 23-23-1, but the 49ers are 4-1 against the Vikings in the playoffs. Minnesota owns a 21-29 all-time record in the playoffs, while San Francisco touts a 31-21 record in the postseason. The two teams have split their last two matchups against each other.
