'We're playing a better team': 49ers on the Minnesota experience, facing Darnold

49ers stars Nick Bosa, Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle discussed this weeks' showdown against the Vikings.

Nick Bosa talks to San Francisco media before a Week 2 game in Minnesota. / San Francisco 49ers

After walloping the Jets bad enough that Aaron Rodgers was taken out of the game in Week 1, the San Francisco 49ers say they aren't patting themselves on the back just yet. Why not? They are, of course, the defending NFC champs and are heavily favored to spoil Minnesota's home opener on Sunday.

"This week I think we're playing a better, honestly, a better team," 49ers star edge rusher Nick Bosa said when asked about going from the Jets to the Vikings. "They're playing better football, it looks like. They run the ball well. We're going to have to be better in our techniques, we kind of got away with some things last week. We have to hone in and not pat ourselves on the back."

Sunday's noon kickoff will present an interesting dynamic. On one hand, the 49ers know Sam Darnold inside and out after the former third overall pick spent the 2023 season in San Francisco as a backup quarterback. On the other hand, Darnold knows soft spots in San Francisco's punishing defense.

"Sam [is] real talented. He's got a strong arm, smart, he makes the right decisions," said 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel.

"I know how his arm strength is and how he's a good processor of information and can get the ball out," Bosa said. "It'll be the same formula, try to make him one dimensional and then go from there."

One of Darnold's good friends is 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, who is reported a "long shot" to play due to ongoing calf and Achilles issues.

"I've known Sam for a long time now, he's become one of my better friends that I've met in the league and it's cool to see him get an opportunity because he deserves it," McCaffrey said Wednesday. "He's always been extremely talented, somebody who could play in this league. He's smart, he's tough. Obviously we want to win this week but I'm happy for him and his opportunity and have nothing but the utmost respect for him."

What do Niners stars think of playing in Minnesota?

"Yeah it's pretty loud. Good environment for sure," said Samuel.

"I love playing Midwest football games because everybody there just loves football so much and you can just kind of feel the energy of the city throughout the week," said tight end George Kittle, who will have friends and family from Iowa and Minnesota (he played for the Iowa Hawkeyes) at the game.

"Every time I've played there I've had a great time. The fans are in it, they're loud, they love the Vikings. They have a really good team, they have Justin Jefferson, he's a freak. Sam Darnold's out there slinging it, he looked great last week. They have a lot of talented players and their crowd is definitely going to be behind them."

Bosa doesn't like the field turf, but he does enjoy the experience inside U.S. Bank Stadium.

"It's a long flight and it's field turf, but it is one of the cooler environments. I can't lie about that," Bosa said.