5 biggest takeaways from the Vikings loss vs. 49ers in Week 12

The Minnesota Vikings defensive line needs to get healthy

Let’s be honest, the Minnesota Vikings haven’t been good against the run at all this year. They are giving up a ton of yards on the ground, putting them in the bottom three of the league in yards allowed per game.

The problem compounded in Week 12 because they faced a team that has found success running the ball. The 49ers are a team that wears down their opponents by winning the game in the trenches and commanding the time of possession.

Even furthering the problems is that the entire starting defensive line from the start of the season was absent for this game. Danielle Hunter, Michael Pierce, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Everson Griffen were all out for Week 12.

This was apparent when it came to tackles. The leading tackler from the defensive line was James Lynch, who had five on the day. Meanwhile, five players from the secondary or linebacker grouping had more takedowns, with safety Harrison Smith leading the way by getting 11 tackles.

These big men will need to get healthy if Minnesota wants a chance at being competitive with teams that are good at running with the football. Hopefully, it can be soon.