SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ In a surprising development, the 49ers will host the No. 6 seed Minnesota Vikings in the first postseason game at Levi's Stadium on Saturday following their first-round bye.
The Vikings stunned the heavily favored New Orleans Saints 26-20 in overtime on Sunday at the Superdome, taking out the No. 3 seeded team many believed to be the biggest challenger in the NFC for top-seeded San Francisco (13-3).
The game, which will kick off at 1:35 p.m., will be a rematch of the 2018 regular-season opener when the 49ers lost 24-16 at Minnesota in what might have been the worst statistical performance of Jimmy Garoppolo's career. He threw three interceptions, including a pick-six, in his first start after signing his five-year, $137.5 million contract the previous offseason.
Garoppolo is entering his first playoff start having recorded at least a 110 passer rating in seven of his last 10 regular season games. He finished his first full season tied with the fifth-most touchdown passes (27), fourth-highest completion rate (69.1 percent) and eighth-best quarterback rating (102.0). He also tossed 13 interceptions, tied for the sixth most in the NFL.
Coach Kyle Shanahan will have to prepare his team for his former quarterback, Kirk Cousins, whom he was instrumental in drafting while the offensive coordinator with the Washington Redskins in 2012. Cousins before the 2018 season signed a fully guaranteed three-year, $84 million contract with the Vikings after it was widely speculated Shanahan would target Cousins in free agency before the Garoppolo trade midway through the 2017 campaign.
Cousins on Sunday tossed the game-winning touchdown pass to tight end Kyle Rudolph with 10:45 remaining in overtime and finished with 242 yards on 19-of-31 passing and a 96.4 rating. Running back Dalvin Cook, who missed the final two regular-season games with an injury, had 130 all-purpose yards and two rushing touchdowns.
Minnesota led 20-10 before New Orleans scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth to force overtime. Rudolph's touchdown came on a fade route on the first possession of overtime after Cousins found receiver Adam Thielen on a 43-yard completion to the Saints' 2-yard line.
The Vikings beat New Orleans behind a strong performance from head coach Mike Zimmer's defense. The Saints were limited to just 20 points, their fifth-fewest of the season, while Drew Brees passed for 208 yards, one touchdown and one interception for a 90.4 passer rating. Brees had a 349-yard, five-touchdown performance last month on the same field against San Francisco.
Minnesota finished the regular season 10-6 and entered Sunday's game as 8-point underdogs.
