Already 2-0 vs. the NFC North this season, the San Francisco 49ers will try to bump that to 3-0 this Sunday when they head back to the Midwest to rumble with Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings (1 pm Eastern, …

San Fran So Far

The 49ers opened this season with that impressive 30-22 victory over the Packers at Lambeau Field, then got to 2-0 with a solid (if unspectacular) 27-19 win over the Detroit Lions in their home opener last Sunday night.

San Francisco, after going 13-3 last year, looks like an even more complete team this season. We knew the Niners would run the ball on offense, and so far they've racked up 186 and 148 yards on the ground vs. the Packers and Lions. But with the addition of a couple of new pass-catching targets QB Alex Smith has completed 70 percent of his passes for 7.7 yards-per-attempt. Those numbers are up from his 61 percent and 7.1 YPA of last season.

So far the San Francisco offense has generated 377 and 349 total yards, and is looking forward to adding more weapons with the impending returns of WR Ted Ginn, Jr. and RB Brandon Jacobs.

And what can we say about the Niners defense that hasn't already been said, other maybe than that they're great fun to watch? So far San Fran has held the Packers and Lions to a total of 127 yards on the ground, although it should also be noted neither of those teams are known for their running games.

The Vikes

Minnesota is off to a 1-1 start to this season, beating Jacksonville opening weekend 26-23 in overtime, then falling last Sunday at Indianapolis 23-20 on a late field goal. The Vikings outrushed and outgained both the Jags and Colts.

Peterson, in his first two games coming off that horrible knee injury of late last season, has run for 144 yards on 33 carries, which is just less than 4.4 YPC. And second-year QB Christian Ponder has completed 47 of 62 passes so far, with two TDs and zero INTs.

That Play

The Niners' last game against the Vikings, three seasons ago also at the Metrodome, ended terribly for San Fran when Brett Favre hit somebody named Greg Lewis in the back of the end zone on a rocket from 40 yards out on the last play of the game to hang San Fran with a sick 27-24 defeat.

The Line

According to the NFL odds boards the 49ers are favored by seven points for Sunday's game over the Vikings. San Fran is already 2-0 covering spreads this year, winning at Green Bay as a six-point underdog, then beating Detroit by eight points while favored by seven.