The San Francisco 49ers are moving on to the NFC Championship after beating the Minnesota Vikings 27-10 in the first game of the divisional round. They will face the winner of the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers.
It wasn't the quarterbacks — Jimmy Garoppolo and Kirk Cousins — that played catalyst for the 49ers. Instead, offensively, it was the run-game that ruled supreme for San Francisco.
Five 49ers rushed the ball in the win — Tevin Coleman, Raheem Mostert, Matt Breida, Deebo Samuel and Garoppolo. It was Coleman who would lead them on the ground, as the former Indiana Hoosier rushed 22 times for 105 yards and two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, the Vikings' running back duo of Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison couldn't get anything going against the 49ers' stout defensive line. The two combined for 10 rush attempts for 21 yards.
Statistically, Cousins outdueled Garoppolo. The Vikings quarterback went 21-of-29 passing for 172 yards, a touchdown and an interception, good for an 84.3 passer rating. Garoppolo, meanwhile, went 11-of-19 for 131 yards, a touchdowns and an interception, equating to a 74.7 passer rating.
However, most of Cousins' completions came on the dink-and-dunk variety, with his yardage totals coming more in garbage time. Cousins was sacked six times for 46 yards. Garoppolo: twice for nine yards.
Defensively, defensive end Nick Bosa led the 49ers in sacks with two. Cornerback Richard Sherman caught the lone interception on Cousins. As for the Vikings, the duo of Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter each tallied a sack, with linebacker Eric Kendricks getting himself an interception.
The 49ers will host the winner of the Packers and Seahawks next weekend.
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