(Reuters) – The San Francisco 49ers won their first NFL playoff game in six seasons, using Tevin Coleman’s two short touchdowns and a strong defense to stop the Minnesota Vikings 27-10 in divisional play on Saturday.
Jan 11, 2020; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Tevin Coleman (26) runs the ball against the Minnesota Vikings in the second quarter in a NFC Divisional Round playoff football game at Levi’s Stadium. Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
The 49ers will meet the winner of Sunday’s Green Bay Packers-Seattle Seahawks game in San Francisco for the National Football Conference title on Jan. 19. The Super Bowl is Feb. 2 in Miami.
The top-seeded 49ers never trailed, their aggressive defense holding the Vikings to 21 yards rushing and 147 total yards. Minnesota had only seven first downs as Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins could not get untracked and was sacked six times.
Top Vikings running back Dalvin Cook was held to a mere 18 yards.
The 49ers’ offensive line controlled the game up front.
“Those guys did very well, they moved the guys back, so I could have clear holes to run through,” Coleman, who scored on runs of one and two yards and rushed for 105 yards, told reporters.
“It’s an amazing feeling.”
The proud San Francisco franchise had not been in the playoffs since the 2013 season.
“We’ve got some things to clean up, but we played well enough to win and that’s all you can ask for,” said 49ers tight end George Kittle. “Playoff football anyone can win and we just made more plays today.”
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo got the 49ers rolling, hitting Kendrick Bourne with a three-yard touchdown pass for their opening drive.
He completed 11 of 19 passes for 131 yards and one interception.
Minnesota came back to tie the score on Cousins’ 41-yard pass to Stefon Diggs, but Coleman’s first touchdown, a one-yarder, put San Francisco ahead 14-7.
The teams traded field goals before the 49ers put the game out of reach 24-10 on Coleman’s two-yard run after Richard Sherman’s interception of Cousin.
Robbie Gold’s second field goal for San Francisco, which covered 21 yards, ended the scoring at 27-10.
Cousins, who had led Minnesota to a surprising overtime win over the New Orleans Saints last weekend, passed for 172 yards this time, connecting on 21 of 29 attempts with an interception.
Reporting by Gene Cherry in Salvo, North Carolina; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Clarence Fernandez