49ers vs. Vikings 1st quarter thread: Protect Brock, put pressure on Sam

Brock Purdy's first road start of the season comes against a team that can give any quarterback a headache. Brian Flores and the Minnesota Vikings felt like they were playing dead last week against the New York Giants when they sat back and played coverage.

But we know that's not how Flores operates, and today should show his true colors. The 49ers offensive line did an exceptional job last week, as did the tight ends and running backs in holding Purdy up. Today will be a tougher challenge, but last week's results were promising.

Similarly, Sam Darnold exceeded expectations last week and will likely regress somewhat. The question will be whether the 49ers can pressure him as often as the Giants did, and whether they can pressure Darnold, keep the ball, and make Darnold-like decisions.

Early turnovers could be the deciding factor in this game.