Bad Outweighs Good in Multiple Aspects for Vikings…

Minnesota was unable to get within field goal range late in the first half after opening at the 40-yard line with 12 seconds remaining. A gain of 14 started the drive but took seven seconds. The next play could have been a Hail Mary attempt or a quick one to give Greg Joseph a shot at a long field goal, but it resulted in an incompletion and no time left on the clock.

The Vikings took all three timeouts into halftime.

Minnesota opened the second half with an interception on a pass Cousins intended for Thielen, who was double-covered. The underneath defender, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, returned the pick 24 yards to the Minnesota 2-yard line.

After a five-play touchdown drive, Minnesota opened its third offensive possession of the second half with a run play that lost 4 yards. Cook suffered a shoulder injury and was carted off after fumbling. He will undergo an MRI Monday, Zimmer said.

The 49ers took over at the Vikings 9-yard line and added a field goal with 0:09 remaining in the third quarter on what proved to be the final points of the game.

Minnesota failed to capitalize on a first-and-goal at the San Francisco 6-yard line early in the fourth quarter.

Mattison rushed for gains of 1 and 2 before a pass attempt to Tyler Conklin fell incomplete.

Rather than the crisp execution on fourth-and-goal earlier in the game, the Vikings lined up wrong heading into this potentially pivotal play. Kirk Cousins went to redirect people and when he returned to the line of scrimmage, he stepped under center behind guard Olisaemeka Udoh instead of center Mason Cole.

“We just didn’t get lined up properly; the play clock was winding down,” Cousins said. “I was just moving, trying to get everybody settled up and just got under the wrong guy.”

The Vikings had to use their second timeout of the second half. A throw to Jefferson on fourth down sailed over the receiver’s head.

Jefferson also had been underthrown on a 2-point play in the third quarter.

Cousins wanted a pass interference call against 49ers DB K’Waun Williams who made contact with K.J. Osborn well before the ball arrived on a third-and-8 with under a minute to go. An incompletion to Jefferson followed on fourth down.

“I thought the defender hooked him,” Zimmer said of the no call.