SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio offered a blunt assessment of how his starters opened their exhibition season in the 49ers’ 17-6 win over Minnesota.
“We got a little full of ourselves,” Fangio said Monday.
It’s not hard to see how that might have happened.
“It’s a little bit of all the nice things that have been said about them for their play last year,” Fangio added. “They started off camp very well, pretty much dominating out here on the practice field.”
Then the Vikings showed up at Candlestick Park on Friday and gained 122 yards en route to two field goals in their two opening series.
No, the’ 49ers defense hasn’t lost its cloak of invincibility. Exhibition football is a different breed, and mainstay lineman Justin Smith had the game off to rest.
But mounting injuries could add to any concerns.
Outside linebacker Aldon Smith suffered a bruised hip Friday night and was one of three defensive starters to miss Monday’s practice. Nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga and outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks emerged to watch the final half of practice after apparently working through minor ailments.
Joining the casualty list was backup nose tackle Ian Williams, who suffered an unspecified injury an hour into practice and did not return to action.
Last season, the 49ers did not miss more than one defensive starter in any of their games because of injury, and six players started every game.
Fangio said Smith will miss a “good bit” of this week. Smith, last season’s team leader in sacks with 14, is unlikely to play in Saturday night’s game at Houston.
Even if Smith misses the remaining three exhibitions, he is expected to be ready for the Sept. 9 season opener, although it’s unknown if he’ll be deployed in the full-time role he’s been learning.
“Long term, I’m not concerned,” Fangio said of Smith. “But it is a setback in the short term.”
Smith got hurt on the 49ers’ second defensive series Friday, landing hard on his right side while attempting to tackle Vikings rusher Toby Gerhart. On the first series, the 49ers defense allowed Christian Ponder to complete a 52-yard pass against Carlos Rogers, who didn’t receive safety help from Dashon Goldson in a blown coverage.
“We were not sharp at all,” Fangio said. “We definitely did not play the way we were capable of playing.”
Fangio couldn’t relay that message at halftime. Candlestick Park’s press box elevator wasn’t working, and Fangio remained upstairs in the coaches’ booth for the first time in his 26 years as an NFL assistant.
So what did Fangio do instead?
“I had a hot dog,” Fangio replied. “I’ve had better.”
Even when the elevator works, coaches have only a three-minute window in the locker room to address their players during the 12-minute intermission before rushing back to their booth.
“I guess we need that new stadium,” Fangio said in deadpan fashion while peering at the ongoing construction some 100 yards away for the new Santa Clara stadium.
– With knee injuries sidelining Delanie Walker and Nate Byham, the 49ers signed two tight ends: Gijon Robinson and Joe Sawyer. Robinson played three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and recently was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 49ers waived guard Garrett Chisolm.
– Cornerback Perrish Cox had an interception in Monday’s practice, but more notable was the one he had Friday in his first NFL contest since 2010 with the Denver Broncos. “I think about where I was this time last year, how I wasn’t in ball,” said Cox, who sat out last year amid legal issues. “Days like today, I’m excited and I get energy from that.” Fangio said Cox will factor into the 49ers’ plans “somehow, some way.”
– Scott Tolzien had two passes intercepted Monday – one by Cox, one by C.J. Spillman – before ending practice with a completion to Robinson.
– Randy Moss, who beat double coverage to catch a deep pass by Alex Smith, continued his post-practice routine of fielding passes with Vernon Davis at the ball machine. Moss also won a friendly wager with Michael Crabtree, who failed to hit the crossbar on repeated pass attempts from about 40 yards.
