Tale of the tape

Week 3: San Francisco 49ers At Minnesota Vikings

49ers

Vikings

The 49ers may turn out to be the best team in football this season, and much of that belongs to Alex Smith. He has improved dramatically over the last two seasons. He has become an accurate passer who makes great decisions and that leads to victories.	Quarterback	The Vikings may have something with Christian Ponder calling signals. He has rallied the Vikings in the fourth quarter of the first two games, and the Vikings appear somewhat competitive. Ponder has arm strength, accuracy and executes down the stretch.
The Jim Harbaugh era is all about playing physical football on offense and letting the punishing offensive line dominate. The running game is dependable with Frank Gore overpowering defenders. Tight end Vernon Davis and wide receiver Michael Crabtree excel at making clutch plays.	Offense	The Vikings should be able to compete offensively with the Niners. They have the best running back in football in Adrian Peterson. Wide receiver Percy Harvin caught 12 passes against the Colts and he has the quickness to get open. Michael Jenkins is a decent complementary receiver.
The 49ers appear to have the best defense in football in the early going. They frustrated the Packers in the road opener and kept the explosive Lions from scoring a touchdown until garbage time. Justin Smith and Aldon Smith are both smart and aggressive players who team with middle linebacker Patrick Willis to dominate.	Defense	If the Vikings are going to have any chance in this game, Jared Allen must be on his game and find a way to get to Alex Smith. He did not have a sack in the loss to the Colts. Linebacker Erin Henderson had 12 stops against the Colts and is an outstanding tackler.
The 49ers have rarely been known for their kicking game, but that has changed with the explosive David Akers handling field goal duties. Punter Andy Lee does not have a strong leg, but he knows how to drop the ball inside the 20.	Special Teams	The Vikings should have the opportunity to pop a couple of big plays in the return game this season with Harvin handling kickoff returns. Placekicker Blair Walsh has a strong leg and connected on a 51-yarder against the Colts.

The winner is

49ers

3 out of 4

The 49ers are off to an excellent start and they should have a chance to assert themselves in the NFC and possibly represent the conference in the Super Bowl. However, they are not going to win every game and a hard-running Viking team could push them hard if Minnesota gets off to a good start.

More Tales of the tape

NCAA Championship Game: #1 Louisville Vs. #4 Michigan
Rick Pitino has been here before, after making his 7th Final Four appearance, he’s now in his third go-round in the title game. He’s got plenty of experience on the big stage and he has the Cardinals playing high level basketball at the right time.
Super Bowl Halftime Show Vs. Neil Diamond: Who Takes The Trophy For Better Entertainment?
For years, both Neil Diamond and the Super Bowl Halftime show have been giving us, let’s say, mild overproduction (read: glitzy, flashy, and potentially unnecessary). So who’s got the edge between these two cheesy industry mainstays?
Harbaughs Vs. Baldwins: Which Pair Of Siblings Stand Out?
Harbaughs vs. Baldwins? Wow. What a battle! Let’s dig deep to see which pair of brothers has the upper hand.

See all Tales of the Tape

Listen Live!

TV Schedule

	Full Program Grid
7:00 PM	CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley
7:30 PM	omg! Insider
8:00 PM	NCIS
9:00 PM	NCIS: Los Angeles
10:00 PM	Person of Interest
11:00 PM	KDKA-TV News at 11
11:35 PM	Late Show with David Letterman