The Vikings had been waiting 16 months to see what their offense would finally look like with Teddy Bridgewater and Adrian Peterson in the backfield together. Bridgewater, a 2014 first-round draft pick, was one of the NFL’s most efficient quarterbacks down the stretch last season, playing with poise in the pocket and displaying the accuracy needed to excel in the team’s new shotgun spread attack. Peterson, meanwhile, missed the final 15 games of the 2014 season due to his NFL suspension and was itching to get back on the field after an action-less preseason. The two had never been in the backfield together in a game before Monday night’s season opener against the San Francisco 49ers, so there was a lot of excitement over the past few months about the prospect of that pairing. The Vikings offense delivered a major letdown, though, in an ugly 20-3 loss against a 49ers team that lost several starters in the offseason, including a trio of Pro Bowler defenders in Aldon Smith, Patrick Willis and Justin Smith. “You know, maybe we’re just not ready for prime time yet,” coach Mike Zimmer said of his team.

Source: Matt Vensel of StarTribune.com