The Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers are set to close out Week 7 of the 2023 NFL regular season. The 49ers are coming off a dud game against the Cleveland Browns, their first loss of the year. The Vikings have won two of their last three games and continue to play every single team on their schedule close. They are 2-4 on the season and 2-4 in one-score games. And while the 49ers will certainly be out to prove a point after last week, the Vikings are always ready to play a close game. Here's everything you need to know about how to watch.
Vikings vs. 49ers: How to watch
ESPN and ABC have you covered for Monday Night Football. Additionally, this week is one of the Manningcast weeks. For fans who want to tune into Peyton and Eli's analysis and banter with guests, tune into ESPN2. If you do not have access to a TV or ESPN/ABC affiliated channel, you can stream on fuboTV with no additional cost after a subscription.
Date: Monday, Oct. 23 | 8:15 p.m. EDT
Location: U.S. Bank Stadium — Minneapolis, MN
T.V. channel: ABC/ESPN| Live stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)
FanDuel Odds: 49ers -7 | O/U 44
Vikings storylines
This season hasn't gone the way the Vikings hoped. With regression from Kirk Cousins to the inability to resign Justin Jefferson and his subsequent injury, the Vikings are in a bit of no man's land. And the fact that the Lions, barring the loss to the Baltimore Ravens, have looked like one of the best teams in the league means they can't even take advantage of the Green Bay Packers being bad for the first time in a generation.
The Vikings could pull to 3-4 with a win, which would still leave them with an outside shot at making the playoffs via the wildcard. The only downside is that they're playing the best team in football through seven weeks and, on paper, outmatched in all phases of the game. If they lose, no piece could be safe from burning it all down at the trade deadline (the Kirk Cousins rumors have begun) and officially entering the Caleb Williams draft sweepstakes.
49ers storylines
The 49ers were embarrassed in Week 6 as one of the best offenses in the league ran into a brick wall. Their defense couldn't get a stop when it mattered most, and they fell into the trap game against a stingy Cleveland Browns team. Brock Purdy has been one of the biggest stories in the NFL since grabbing the starting job last year, and he finally lost a regular season game after taking a step back in terms of his play. According to the laws of football, this should be a bounceback game for them. They've looked like a team of destiny during Weeks 1-5. If they can prove last week was a fluke, then they'll return to the top of Super Bow favorites for this year. If they can't, and this turns into a two-game losing streak, there could be some cause for concern.
The Vikings' defense is nowhere near as talented as the Browns' defense is. The Browns held the 49ers and Brock Purdy to 125 yards through the air. Additionally, they did a great job at keeping Christian McCaffery in check too. It seems unlikely that the Vikings will be able to be as effective on defense as the Browns were, but that has to be the game plan if they want to win this game.
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