Hyde, defense power 49ers past Vikings
SANTA CLARA -- Just when it looked like another roadblock would ruin a 49ers drive, Carlos Hyde spun his 235-pound body and reversed course for their first touchdown of the season.Hyde was just beginning, and so is a 49ers season that doesn't look quite so dire after their 20-3 opening win over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night at a sold-out Levi's Stadium.Complementing Hyde's first 100-yard rushing game of his career, as well as his two touchdown runs, was a sturdy and aggressive effort by the 49ers revamped defense, which included NaVorro Bowman's return from a January 2014 knee injury.Underdogs at home, the 49ers started sloppily in their alternate black uniforms and didn't find an encouraging groove until Hyde led them to it. He finished with 26 carries for 168 yards, assuring a victory in coach Jim Tomsula's first game since succeeding Jim Harbaugh."I'm very proud of our defensive performance," Tomsula said after this team held the Vikings to 248 total yards. "We're happy about that. But we've still got a lot of work to do."AdvertisementCould Hyde's spin move symbolize the turnaround his franchise is hoping for after a turbulent offseason and last year's 8-8 record?Hyde, making his first career start, began his 10-yard scoring run toward a mass of bodies clogging the right side of the line. Then Hyde opted to mimic a move Braxton Miller pulled off Saturday for Hyde's alma mater, Ohio State. By spinning away from traffic, Hyde found a wide-open path to the left side of the end zone, with an escort by quarterback Colin Kaepernick.Of Hyde's 12 carries for 83 yards in the first half, half of those carries (for 38 yards) came on that 93-yard touchdown drive. http://www.mercurynews.com/49ers/ci_28814414/hyde-defense-power-49ers-past-vikings
Tags
[]
Senior Guide
seeder
XXJefferson51
9 years ago
Under new defensive coordinator Eric Mangini, the 49ers pestered quarterback Teddy Bridgewater all night and did a quality job containing Adrian Peterson, who was playing his first game since last year's opener and had only 10 carries for 31 yards."That was the starting point," Mangini said about stopping Peterson. "We really had to account for him in every single group."The 49ers' aggressive array of blitzes led to five sacks, each by a different defender: Bowman, Antoine Bethea, Jaquiski Tartt, Tank Carradine and Aaron Lynch. Tramaine Brock chipped in with a fourth-quarter interception."I'm very proud of our defensive performance," Tomsula said. "Eric Mangini and the defensive staff had a good game plan. We're happy about that. We've still got a lot of work to do."
Who is online
371 visitors