After an opening preseason win, Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers got a taste of how the other half lives with a thumping at the hands of the Broncos last week. The new coach will get a first-hand look at what he has to work with when his Niners take on the Minnesota Vikings in the Week 3 dress rehearsal game. The Niners are looking to improve one of the worst offenses in the NFL from last season and will go up against one of the stingiest defenses in the league.
This contest in Week 3 of the preseason will go down Sunday, August 27, 2017, at 8 p.m. ET at U.S. Bank Stadium. The game will be televised on NBC.
Opening NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
San Francisco 49ers +4
Minnesota Vikings -4
Over/Under 42
Odds Analysis
The opening line is fairly standard for a preseason game, even though it’s the all-important dress rehearsal week. The Vikings have been a near sure thing at home in the preseason under Mike Zimmer, going 7-0 SU and 6-1 ATS, and they are pegged as a 4-point favorite. The total seems a bit high at 42, but the Niners cashed the over in both of their preseason outings.
Quarterback Rotation
Brian Hoyer is the unquestioned starter and will get a full half of action against the Vikings on Sunday night. The battle is for the No. 2 job with rookie C.J. Beathard making the race tighter with Matt Barkley following another solid outing last week against the Broncos.
Beathard was the second QB used last week and ended his night going 7 of 12 for 110 yards with a touchdown working with the second-team offense. He’s been strong this preseason completing 14 of 23 overall for 211 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Barkley will also see action in the second half. He didn’t get much work last week throwing just two passes.
Sam Bradford played three series last week and is expected to play into the second half Sunday night. Bradford is coming off a season where he set a league record for completion percentage and is working with a rebuilt offensive line. It would benefit the entire team for him to play as much as possible.
Case Keenum is the likely backup after another solid outing last week. Keenum took over near the end of the first half and completed 12 passes for 70 yards. He failed to stretch the field and the Vikings managed just a field goal with him quarterbacking the team. The coaching staff has talked about keeping three QBs on the active roster, which will make the limited time Taylor Heinicke gets even more important.
Coaching History
The Niners are looking for a culture change and some stability after watching their regular season win total drop in each of the last three seasons and reaching a franchise-low two last year. Shanahan is the fourth coach in as many seasons and he leveled his preseason record at 1-1 with last week’s loss.
Mike Zimmer suffered a rare preseason loss last week in Seattle when the Vikings were defeated 20-13. The defeat dropped his record to 13-2 SU and 12-3 ATS. The coach has yet to lose a preseason home game going 7-0 SU and 6-1 ATS in his four seasons.
Free ATS Pick
The Niners really don’t know what they have after two preseason games. Shanahan and his staff will get a good chance to evaluate personnel on Sunday when starters are slated to see increased snap counts. The offense did very little last week and Hoyer had an awful game. Shanahan is the offensive guru, but he doesn’t have the talent to work with like he did in Atlanta.
And that lack of offensive firepower will help a Vikings defense that should rank near the top of the stat categories again this season. And the Vikings have added a wrinkle to their offense with an upgraded line and a couple of backs in Latavius Murray and rookie Dalvin Cook, who are taking the reins from the team’s career rushing leader Adrian Peterson.
Minnesota lacks a big-play receiver and will rely on the short passing game to matriculate the ball down the field. It’s a strategy that will work well against an inexperienced Niners defensive line and secondary. There probably won’t be many points scored and that’s just how the Vikings like it.
NFL Odds: Vikings 20, 49ers 15
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! This contest in Week 3 of the preseason will go down Sunday, August 27, 2017, at 8 p.m. ET at U.S. Bank Stadium. The game will be televised on NBC.
