Das Team » When Kyle Shanahan took over as head coach of the

San Francisco 49ers last year Nick Bosa Jersey , his top priority was acquiring the type of quarterback he could try to help mold into the star this franchise of Joe Montana and Steve Young has lacked for so long.Before the 49ers got Jimmy Garoppolo, Shanahan and general manager John Lynch had their eyes on Kirk Cousins.More Vikings coveragePhotos of the Week: 7/21/19 – 7/27/19Rookie Bradbury is central figure to Vikings’ overhauled offensive lineVikings depth at cornerback being tested, Hughes still not clearedPlayers to watch at Minnesota Vikings 2019 training campTop Tweets: Vikings WR Diggs makes push for All-NFL Style TeamShanahan was the offensive coordinator for Cousins in the fourth-round draft pick’s first two years in the NFL with Washington, which used the franchise tag in consecutive offseasons to delay free agency when the two sides failed to reach a long-term contract agreement. Eventually, Cousins was going to be available.“I thought we’d have a very good chance,” Shanahan said, adding: “I think we fell into another alternative option that was pretty darn good.”Last year, the 49ers swung a trade at the deadline with New England for Garoppolo. They won the last five games, all after Garoppolo took over as the starter, to create a groundswell of confidence they’re back on track as a contender .Cousins took an $84 million fully guaranteed contract from Minnesota , where the 49ers will open the season on Sunday and Shanahan will surely share a warm pregame greeting with his former pupil.“Much of the way that I play the position to this day is a result of the way that he taught me as a young player,” Cousins said.Stuck behind Robert Griffin III his first two years, Cousins developed so well with Washington that he ultimately moved ahead of the second overall pick in the 2012 draft.Mike Shanahan, Kyle’s father, was the head coach until his firing after the 2013 season. His successor Jay Gruden had no choice but to stick with Cousins.“He’s the guy who gave them a chance to win for about four years,” Shanahan said. “So I was really happy for him doing that, and I’m even more happy that he’s out of there doing it for someone else. I just hope it’s not on Sunday.”Here are some other angles to follow for the game:REPLACEMENT RUNNERS: The 49ers made former Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon their top target in free agency, giving a $30 million contract to be the featured ball carrier.Shanahan was excited about McKinnon’s versatility, counting on significant contributions from the fifth-year player in the passing game as well as on the ground, but McKinnon tore the ACL in his right knee in practice last week and will sit out his first season with San Francisco.“Since the day we signed him we’ve been game-planning for Minnesota,” Shanahan said. “So I’m not going to lie: It changes things pretty drastically.”The roles of Alfred Morris and Matt Breida will be elevated in McKinnon’s absence. The fact that the opener is against his old team made the injury even worse.“I was more devastated when it happened, just the feeling knowing that it wouldn’t be all right for Week 1,” McKinnon said.6<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:5 dark horse impact players for the 2018 VikingsCOOKED TO ORDER: McKinnon’s role with the Vikings last year was elevated after Dalvin Cook tore his left ACL in the fourth game. Latavius Murray was especially productive over the second half of the schedule, too Dwayne Haskins Jersey , but Cook has worked his way back to where he left off in that abbreviated rookie season.“My knee is fine. It’s ready to go. I’m ready to play. Those carries were a plus. But I’ve been practicing the whole time, getting reps and going full speed,” he said.GOODWIN’S GROWTH: Marquise Goodwin had 613 receiving yards over the last eight games of 2017, a breakout performance in his fifth year. Drafted in the third round by Buffalo, Goodwin never clicked there but now gives Garoppolo a potent downfield target.Vikings coach Mike Zimmer recalled being wowed by the speed of Goodwin, who made the 2012 U.S. Olympic team as a long jumper, when he was at Texas to watch another prospect’s pre-draft workout.“He’s got such great speed, and that’s always been there, but now he’s become an all-purpose receiver,” Zimmer said. “He goes over the middle. He catches underneath balls. He’s improved a lot.”UNCLE SHERM: Cornerback Richard Sherman will make his debut for the 49ers, the team he tormented so often with Seattle’s “Legion of Boom” defense. Sherman was released following a left Achilles tendon rupture that limited him to nine games last year.After dealing with some minor injuries in training camp, the four-time Pro Bowl pick is eager to play his first game that counts in 10 months. He’ll have an immediate challenge opposite Minnesota’s wide receiver duo of Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs, who have not only been adjusting to Cousins but to new offensive coordinator John DeFilippo.“We’re excited to see how he’s going to call a game,” Thielen said. “We got a glimpse of it in preseason, but it’ll be fun to see what he does for a full 60 minutes.”ROOKIE ROLES: The 49ers will lean heavily on two rookies: Fred Warner and Mike McGlinchey. Warner, a third-round draft pick from BYU, will play middle linebacker for Reuben Foster, who must serve a two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s conduct and substances of abuse policies. McGlinchey, the first-round draft pick out of Notre Dame, will start at right tackle opposite Danielle Hunter, the rising star at defensive end for the Vikings.“I’m just going to do my job,” McGlinchey said. “That’s what I came here to do. There’s no pressure because that’s what I expect from myself.”—VIKINGS-49ERS CAPSULESunday, 1 p.m. EDT, FoxOPENING LINE – Vikings by 5RECORD VS. SPREAD – San Francisco 9-7 http://www.ravenscheapstores.com/marquise-brown-jersey-cheap , Minnesota 12-4SERIES RECORD – 49ers lead 23-22-1LAST MEETING – 49ers beat Vikings 20-3, Sept. 14, 2015AP PRO32 RANKING – 49ers No. 15, Vikings No. 349ERS OFFENSE – OVERALL (12), RUSH (21), PASS (9)49ERS DEFENSE – OVERALL (24), RUSH (22), PASS (22)VIKINGS OFFENSE – OVERALL (11), RUSH (7), PASS (11)VIKINGS DEFENSE – OVERALL (1), RUSH (2), PASS (2)STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES – Vikings have won five straight games at home vs. 49ers since losing 20-17 on Dec. 13, 1992. … Kyle Shanahan, starting second season as 49ers head coach, was offensive coordinator for current Vikings QB Kirk Cousins’ first two years in NFL with Washington. … 49ers closed 2017 with five straight wins, coinciding with QB Jimmy Garoppolo’s takeover as starter. … Garoppolo, including two victories for New England, has won all seven career NFL starts. He’s one of five QBs since 1970 AFL-NFL merger with streak that long. … 49ers WR Marquise Goodwin finished third in league last season with average of 17.2 yards per catch. … RB Jerick McKinnon, who played first four years with Vikings, tore ACL in right knee in practice last week and will miss entire season. Matt Breida, with Alfred Morris backing up, takes over as primary RB. … CB Richard Sherman makes debut with 49ers, after seven years with Seattle. … Cousins makes debut with Vikings Jaylon Ferguson Jersey , sixth QB in six seasons to start opener following Sam Bradford, Shaun Hill, Teddy Bridgewater, Matt Cassel, Christian Ponder. … Cousins went 25 for 37 for 330 yards and two TDs plus rushing TD to lead Washington to 26-24 win vs. 49ers last year. … Vikings replacing primary starters at LG and RG from last year, with neck injury for Nick Easton and retirement of Joe Berger. Tom Compton and Mike Remmers are in place, with Rashod Hill taking over at RT for Remmers. … DT Sheldon Richardson, who played for Seattle last year and signed as free agent, is lone new starter on defense that led league in 2017. … Fantasy Tip: Vikings RB Dalvin Cook returns from season-ending ACL injury to left knee suffered in Week 4 of rookie year. He had 22 carries for 127 yards in season opener in 2017.
DENVER — Outfielder Brandon Nimmo will seek an encore performance after a memorable return to the region where he grew up and will try to continue his startling power surge Tuesday when the New York Mets look to win their fourth straight game and again beat the Colorado Rockies.

The Mets blasted the Rockies 12-2 on Monday with their biggest outburst since they scored 12 runs on May 15 against Toronto. Nimmo, who grew up in Cheyenne, Wyo., about 100 miles from Denver, led off the game with an inside-the-park home run and went 4-for-6 with two home runs and a career-high four RBI. The four hits tied his career-high and occurred after he hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the ninth inning Sunday at Arizona.

Nimmo has hit a career-high 12 home runs this season and 10 since May 23, a 25-game stretch that also includes 19 extra-base hits and 17 RBI. Getting closer to the plate and eliminating his stride are among the suggestions Nimmo got from Mets coaches that have helped him improve his swing.

“I’ve been able to be more consistent when they make mistakes,” Nimmo said. “That’s really been the biggest things, those swing changes allowing me to be a little more consistent. I was always in my approach looking for a good pitch to hit, to try and drive. Now I’m just doing it a little more often. That’s encouraging. That’s really nice. That’s actually a pretty dangerous player. I’m proud of that.”

Left-hander Jason Vargas (2-5, 7.39 ERA) will start for the Mets on Tuesday against German Marquez (4-7, 5.13).

The Rockies will look to end an eight-game losing streak at Coors Field, during which they have been outscored 81-39. Their longest losing streak at home was nine consecutive games at Mile High Stadium from July 25 to Aug. 18, 1993.

The Rockies (34-38) have lost nine of their past 11 games and 13 of their past 17, a slide that has dropped them a season-most four games below .500

Starter Tyler Anderson gave up three runs in 5 1/3 innings before relievers Harrison Musgrave, Jake McGee, Jeff Hoffman and Brooks Pounders combined to allow nine runs in 3 2/3 innings Quinnen Williams Jersey , raising the ERA for the Rockies relievers to a National League-worst 5.60.

“Is there a higher ceiling for this group? For sure,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “But it’s going to take the combination of the good hitting and the good pitching, and right now we got to get the pitching turned around. And we got to get it turned around quickly.”

Vargas is 2-2, 9.00 in five starts against the Rockies, the last in 2014. He’s 1-2, 11.40 in three starts at Coors Field, allowing three runs in seven innings in the most recent one in 2012 while pitching for Seattle.

Marquez is 0-2, 8.44 in three starts this month and last won on May 27 against Cincinnati. He’s 1-4, 7.71 in seven starts at home this season.

Marquez is 1-0, 3.75 in two starts against the Mets. He beat them this season on May 4 at Citi Field, allowing two runs in six innings in Colorado’s 8-7 victory and got a no-decision Aug. 3, 2017, at Coors Field when he allowed three runs in six innings in the Rockies’ 5-4 triumph.

The Mets (31-38) will be trying to win four straight games for the first time since May 18-21. They have since gone 7-19, and Monday’s victory was just the sixth for the Mets in their past 19 games. Monday also marked Nimmo’s second game at Coors Field. He pinc hit and grounded into a fielder’s choice last season on Aug. 2.

“I remember I broke my bat,” Nimmo said. “I did a little bit better today.”

Nimmo’s two-homer, four-hit game raised his average to .287 in 60 games with 22 RBI and a 1.013 OPS.

“It’s a much different feel (than last year),” Nimmo said. “It’s a different experience, but I’m glad to be here. Very, very blessed. Most people do not get to out their dream like this and wonder what it’s like to play on that field and then get to experience that some day in the big leagues. So really, really blessed.”