Three Matchups to Watch in Week One
JackDay19
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The Vikings are getting set to take on the San Francisco 49ers in their first regular season game of the 2018 season. The Vikings are favored to win in Sunday’s matchup at the always rowdy U.S. Bank Stadium, but the 49ers should not be taken lightly. Going back to last year, the 49ers are coming into Minnesota on a five game winning streak, with a lot of hype around their new quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
The Vikings are coming off one of the hardest losses in franchise history in the NFC Championship Game, but it’s time to move on to this year. The core players are still on the team and the front office has added more talent throughout the roster, including an upgrade at quarterback. The Vikings have been solid in front of their own fans up north, and that shouldn’t change with the big home field advantage given by the stadium entering its third season as the Vikings home.
There are some intriguing matchups to keep an eye on on Sunday between the two teams. These are two teams with high hopes for their seasons, and no one wants to begin the season 0-1. Below are some of the most exciting matchups heading into the the first Sunday of Vikings football.
Stefon Diggs vs. Richard Sherman
(Photo Credit: Elaine Thompson, Associated Press)
Richard Sherman is putting on his new 49ers jersey for his first game back since rupturing his achilles tendon. In the past, Sherman has given some high praise to the young Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
In fact, Diggs was included in an article that Sherman wrote for The Players Tribune titled Underrated Wide Receivers 101.
In the article, Sherman said that Diggs is quick, has a great double move and has the home run hitter capability. The 30-year-old cornerback is out to prove that he still has the shutdown corner mentality in him, while Diggs is trying to live up to his new contract. This battle is going to bring out the fireworks, so get excited to watch these two go at it on Sunday.
Danielle Hunter vs. Mike McGlinchey
The 49ers used their first pick in the 2018 NFL Draft on Notre Dame Tackle Mike McGlinchey to try and get better protection for their quarterback of the future. On Sunday, the rookie is going to have a lot on his hands with fourth year defensive end Danielle Hunter rushing on his side.
Hunter was another Viking to get paid this offseason. During the preseason, Hunter has shown his ability to rush the passer from the right side of the line. Although he is going to have to move back to his original position with the return of Everson Griffen, Hunter’s pass rushing ability can only go up from this point on. There are not too many 23-year-old veterans in the league, but the Vikings found one in Hunter.
This matchup should be a treat to watch for Vikings fans. McGlinchey is skilled, otherwise he wouldn’t have been drafted so highly. However, he might have drawn the short end of the stick having to go up against Hunter in his first career start.
Cousins vs. the 49ers Defense
(Image Courtesy of Fox Sports)
Throughout the preseason, Vikings new quarterback Kirk Cousins has had his moments. He looked great in one series against Denver, but never fully seemed to get rolling later on in the preseason. It is going to be interesting to see what Number 8 is going to be able to do with a first team offensive line and with a healthy Dalvin Cook in the backfield.
The offensive line is going to be tested in week one with a young and talented front seven on the 49ers defense. Cousins gets the ball out faster than any quarterback we’ve had in the last few years, but he is going to need solid protection to try and find his receivers on deeper routes.
It is likely that the Vikings will try to get a run game going between Dalvin Cook and Latavius Murray. If that is able to happen, Cousins should be able to get into a rhythm while developing some play-action passes.
These are just a few of the exciting matchups that are going to happen on Sunday. Both teams are coming off two extremely different ways to end a season, but both teams are hungry for their first W. Watch for these matchups throughout the duration of the game, as they could end up playing a big role in the final outcome.