© Kelley L Cox | 2018 Aug 30
The 49ers face a tough test in their season opener at the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, against a team that won 13 games and made it to the NFC Title Game last season. The Vikings also post one of the most talented front fours in the game, and will give the new look 49ers offensive line possibly their toughest test of the season from the jump.
49ers beat writer Matt Maiocco joined Murph & Mac Thursday morning, and gave his take on what the No. 1 matchup to watch will be on Sunday.
“Let’s go with Mike McGlinchey,” Maiocco said. “It is so difficult for offensive lineman in dome stadiums. Especially against speed rushers, say a guy like Everson Griffen coming off the edge, and (Danielle) Hunter will see some time over there too for the Vikings. As a rookie you’re dealing with the crowd noise, you might be dealing with some silent counts, you might have to look at the ball a little bit. So it’s that split second where the guy’s flying off the edge, and even though he’s not protecting Jimmy Garoppolo’s blind side, now I think the lines are more blurred in the NFL as far as which tackle position is the most important tackle position.”
McGlinchy was the 49ers’ somewhat surprising first-round pick in the 2018 draft, who has by all accounts hit the ground running during his first professional training camp. He will likely be matched up against Griffen, a three-time Pro Bowler, during a number of snaps on Sunday.
“From Week 1, I don’t know if this assignment gets a whole lot more difficult than starting in what will be a crazy environment, with the whole “Skol” chant, and a team that made it to the NFC Championship Game last year, and basically the entire team is back, with the addition of a really good quarterback that they didn’t have last year. So I’d say Mike McGlinchey. Keep your eyes on No. 69.”
Listen to the full interview below. To hear Maiocco on the key matchup, start from 6:45.
