Minnesota Vikings: 3 X-factors to beating 49ers in Divisional Round
3. Stefon Diggs
For a majority of the 2019 campaign and really since he broke into the NFL with the Vikings, Stefon Diggs has been a key piece to what Minnesota is able to able to accomplish in its passing game.
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While being paired up alongside fellow wide receiver Adam Thielen and tight end Kyle Rudolph in the passing game to balance out the running game led by running back Dalvin Cook out of the backfield in Minnesota, Diggs has been the top wideout for the Vikings for most of the year.
During the regular season, the wide receiver managed to tally a total of 1,130 receiving yards in 15 games, which was a team-best mark and a career-high total for Diggs. He also hauled in a total of 63 receptions and six touchdowns through the air, averaging 17.9 yards per catch while recording a season-long reception of 66 yards.
In the opening round of the postseason last weekend with the win over the Saints, Diggs wasn’t as involved in the offensive game for Minnesota and that in return resulted in the wide receiver showing some emotion on the sideline throughout the game.
Diggs finished the game with just two catches for a total of 19 yards, being targeted just three times. The Vikings tried to get Diggs involved in the running game to some extent, with the wide receiver finishing the game with two carries for eight yards in the game, tallying a game-long rush of six yards.
In the NFC Divisional showdown on the road against San Francisco on Saturday evening, Minnesota is going to have to get Diggs back to being involved in the offensive game and in the passing attack if it wants to try and steal yet another postseason contest on the road at Levi’s Stadium.