49ers Game Plan: Kyle Shanahan says the Vikings are a little susceptible to some big plays

As he did last season, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan will sit down weekly with Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area as part of "49ers Game Plan" and discuss each upcoming matchup. The first interview of the 2018 season leads into the 49ers' regular-season opener against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday.

During the interview, Shanahan discussed the following topics.

• The importance of a balanced offensive attack against a Vikings defense which ranked No. 1 in the league last year.
• How the remaining running backs on the roster will fill in for Jerick McKinnon, who is lost for the season.
• Rookie right tackle Mike McGlinchey going up against a tough defensive line.
• How quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo can find success against a highly-respected Vikings defense.
• What it means to have veteran cornerback Richard Sherman on the team.

As for the offensive attack, Shanahan hopes the 49ers can hit on some big plays.

"[The Vikings defense is] a little susceptible to some big plays," Shanahan said, "but if you go for big plays all the time, there are going to be a lot of three-and-outs. They aren't a high percentage. We've got to choose wisely when we go. We've got to always move the chains, stay on schedule. When we do get that opportunity, that's how you score points versus these guys.

"You've got to get some big plays because if you want to make a living just going on 10-play drives versus these guys, they're too good of players and they've got too good of a scheme."

You can watch segments from the interview below courtesy of NBC Sports Bay Area's dedicated 49ers Twitter account.