Kirk Cousins let the ball loose to Jordan Addison earlier than he would have liked in the face of a full-blown San Francisco attack in the final seconds of the second half for Minnesota, preparing for the worst after upon realizing that the pass had been rejected.
Addison won this tug-of-war battle with 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward and broke free for a 60-yard touchdown, and the Vikings finally won after three mistakes Consecutively late at home.
“I think he was chosen,” Cousins said. “I still don’t know how Jordan made it through.”
Cousins connected with Addison for two scores in the first half, Camryn Bynum intercepted Brock Purdy twice in the fourth quarter and the Vikings held on to beat the 49ers 22-17 on Monday night.
“Game here, game there. We had some tough losses,” said Cousins, who went 35 of 45 for 378 yards and no sacks. “Last year we were lucky to pull them out. Tonight we found a way.
Christian McCaffrey scored twice for the 49ers (5-2), who were on a two-game losing streak for the second time in two years.
“We came in with the right mindset,” said Purdy, who went 21 of 30 for 272 yards. “We just need to execute better.”
Addison, matched by superstar Justin Jefferson sidelined with a hamstring injury, had seven catches for 123 yards in his standout performance on the early stage.
The play of the game came with on third-and-6 with 16 seconds left before halftime when the 49ers sent three extra rushers. The fight for the ball with Ward was eerily similar to the opening drive of the game, when Cousins threw to Addison over the middle where it was wrestled away by Ward to hang the Vikings with their fourth opening-drive turnover in seven games.
“I needed that one,” Addison said. “I couldn’t let him get it twice.”
The first-round draft pick from USC, who left the game briefly with leg cramps, also had a 14-yard reception on third-and-4 on a drive that could have sealed the game for Minnesota (3-4).
But Greg Joseph, who also missed an earlier extra point, pulled a 50-yard field goal wide right.
With no timeouts and 1:
11 remaining, the 49ers take control at their own 40. Purdy, who is picked off with 5:
30 remaining at the Minnesota 30 after an off-target pass intended for Jajuan Jennings , completed two short throws . to get to the Minnesota 40.
But Bynum focused on a pass over the middle to Ray-Ray McCloud III and jumped in front of him for the interception.