Following mass defections in the offseason, the 49ers are a shell of the team that terrorized the NFC under Jim Harbaugh. New coach Jim Tomsula must turn the Santa Clara-based Levi’s Stadium into a homefield advantage for the Niners, where they went just 4-4 SU and 1-7 ATS in its debut.
The Vikings closed out last season going 8-2 ATS over the final 10 and have star running back Adrian Peterson to work with once again.
ODDS
The line opened with San Francisco at -3.5. However public betting support for the road team transformed the 49ers from home favorites to underdogs. Minnesota is currently on the board as a 2.5-point favorite. The total spiked a half point from its opening 41.
KEY INJURIES
John Sullivan – Was placed on injured reserve this week after surgery on his back. The loss leaves the Vikings without a second starter on their already unproven offensive line. Tackle Phil Loadholt is done for the year with a torn Achilles. Joe Berger will start at center for the Vikings.
Tramaine Brock – Was limited in practice this week while recovering from a hamstring strain but is likely to play in the opener. Hammy’s are tricky, especially for a defensive back, and Brock could be targeted with his decreased mobility.
Ahmad Brooks – Is still on the 49ers roster despite being charged for misdemeanor sexual battery from an incident that forced the team to release Ray McDonald. How much, or even if, the veteran linebacker plays remains to be seen.
KEY MISMATCH
San Francisco’s offensive line was a major concern heading into training camp. The unit allowed 52 sacks last season, with an agile Colin Kaepernick at quarterback, and lost starters Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati, putting the Niners in scramble mode to find a workable unit. The right side of the line appears the most susceptible with recently acquired guard Jordan Devey starting next to aging veteran Erik Pears. Getting to Kap will be a primary responsibility of edge-rushing defensive end Everson Griffen, who led the Vikings with 12 sacks last season. Minnesota will look to put him in a position to expose weaknesses along the 49ers O-line.
KEY STAT
52 – Sacks allowed by the 49ers in 2014. San Francisco allowed the third-most sacks last season with a quarterback who ran for 639 yards. The line lost two starters and no significant upgrades were made.
BETTING ANGLE
Until they hit the field for the first time in a regular season game, the 49ers are still a mystery. But they’re far from the best-sellers list. In what was possibly the worst off-season in the history of off-seasons, the 49ers will look far different. The changes start at the top with Tomsula, who replaces Jim Harbaugh, and two new coordinators. San Francisco’s defense was reshaped after the loss of Patrick Willis, Chris Borland and Justin Smith to retirement and the release of Aldon Smith after his legal troubles. The offense wasn’t immune to departures, either. Davis retired and Iupati left during free agency, as did franchise rushing leader Frank Gore. Kaepernick is still a threat, but there is far less talent around him from a team that went 8-8 last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
San Francisco didn’t exactly instill a lot of hope in its fan base after an offseason that saw many key players from the teams three straight championship game runs depart. The preseason wasn’t a confidence boost either, as the first team offense was horrible. Tomsula had never been a coordinator and now takes over as the head coach following his lengthy stay on the coaching staff and has plenty of work in front of him. The Niners will take an us-against-the-world approach to the season, and it might work against a few teams. The Vikings aren’t one of them. Minnesota didn’t earn much respect after going 7-9 last season, but with Teddy Bridgewater emerging as a star and a fresh Adrian Peterson back, folks in the NFC North better watch out. The Vikings are young, talented and athletic, and could be a sleeper. They’ll open some eyes against the 49ers.
Minnesota 31, San Francisco 17
BookMaker opened the spread for this Monday game at -3.5 in favor of the 49ers. The NFL odds total surfaced at 41. Minute-by-minute spreads, totals and props are available for this game using the live betting platform at BookMaker.
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