EAGAN, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings (5-5) are returning to the West Coast for the second time in three weeks and are scheduled to face the San Francisco 49ers (5-5) in a pivotal Week 12 game.

The Vikings recorded the 500th regular-season victory in franchise history Sunday by topping the Packers 34-31, which led to a unique presentation of a game ball by Head Coach Mike Zimmer.

Minnesota has evened its record with consecutive wins for the second time this season (was 3-3 after starting 1-3 and then 3-5).

The Vikings are trying to get above .500 as a team in a season for the first time since last playing at San Francisco, a 27-10 loss in the NFC Divisional Round on Jan. 11, 2020.

That 49ers team defeated the Packers in the NFC Championship the next week but fell to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV. Last season's team opened 2-1 before finishing 6-10 (1-7 at home). This year's squad opened 2-0 before dropping four consecutive games. San Francisco has won three of its past four and is currently eighth in the NFC standings.

Minnesota is sixth via tiebreakers and has the opportunity to control its playoff fate over the final seven games of the 2021 season.

Here's an Early Look at the Vikings Week 12 game against the 49ers, presented by Minnesota Eye Consultants, the Official LASIK partner of the Minnesota Vikings.

STAT OF THE WEEK

Top 10s

Kirk Cousins is the only QB in the NFL who ranks in the top 10 of the following five major passing statistics this season:

Completion percentage: 68.2 (6th in NFL)

Passing yards: 2,775 (6th)

Passing touchdowns: 21 (T-5th)

Interceptions: 2 (T-1st)

Passer rating: 106.3 (3rd)

NORSEMAN NOTES

Cousins passed for 341 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions to tie Rams QB Matthew Stafford for the most games (four) with at least 300 yards, three scores and no interceptions this season.

It was Cousins' 25th career game with 300-plus yards and three scores, which is the second most in an NFL quarterback's first 10 seasons. He passed Aaron Rodgers and needs one more to tie Dan Marino's record.

Cousins has thrown a touchdown pass in 24 consecutive games, tying Daunte Culpepper's franchise record.

Dalvin Cook rushed for 86 yards and his fourth touchdown of the season, which gives him 33 rushing scores since the start of the 2019 season. That total ranks second in the NFL.

Cook moved into sixth place on Minnesota's all-time rushers list, eclipsing Dave Osborn (4,336). Cook has 4,395 through 51 games.

Justin Jefferson recorded his 11th career game with more than 100 receiving yards to tie Randy Moss and JuJu Smith-Schuster for the second-most such games in a player's first two seasons. Jefferson has a shot to tie or pass the record of 15 set by Odell Beckham, Jr.

Jefferson's 312 receiving yards in his last two games are tied with Sidney Rice for the fifth-largest output in consecutive Vikings games.

Adam Thielen passed Kyle Rudolph (453) for fifth all-time on Minnesota's receptions list. He enters Sunday with 455 career catches.

KNOW THE FOE

Head Coach: Kyle Shanahan, 5th season with 49ers (34-40 in regular season; 2-1 postseason)

Jimmy Garoppolo won his first seven NFL starts, spanning from 2016 with New England (two) and after his 2017 acquisition by San Francisco (five games). The Vikings snapped that run in the 2018 season opener by limiting Garoppolo to a passer rating of 45.1 and intercepting him three times.

Garoppolo ranks 10th in the NFL this season with a passer rating of 100.0.

The 49ers have dealt with multiple injuries at running back and turned to receiver Deebo Samuel last week for eight rush attempts that yielded 79 yards. He has three rushing touchdowns this season, including one in each of the past two weeks. Samuel also leads San Francisco with 55 catches, 994 yards and five scores through the air. His yardage ranks second in the NFL and has been helped by his average of 9.55 yards after catches.

Elijah Mitchell has rushed 116 times for 560 yards and three touchdowns. The sixth-round pick assumed the starting role after Raheem Mostert was injured. Mitchell has missed three games this season.

George Kittle has 15 catches for 185 yards and three scores in the past three weeks since returning from injury.

Nick Bosa leads San Francisco with 10 sacks and is tied for fifth in the NFL.

Jimmie Ward has two of the team's four interceptions; Josh Norman and Dre Greenlaw each have recorded one.

Robbie Gould is 8-for-9 on field goals and has made all 20 extra points he's attempted.

CONNECTIONS

FAMILY TIES

Vikings Offensive Coordinator Klint Kubiak's brother Klay is a defensive quality control coach for the 49ers.

VIKINGS-49ERS

49ers G Tom Compton played for the Vikings in 2018.

San Francisco offensive line coach Chris Foerster was assistant offensive line/tight ends coach for Minnesota from 1993-95 under Dennis Green.

LOCAL CONNECTIONS

Vikings QB Sean Mannion (Pleasanton) is from the Bay Area, within 30 miles of Levi's Stadium.

Compton (Rosemount) and 49ers QB Trey Lance (Marshall) are from Minnesota.

FORMER PRO TEAMMATES

Vikings DE Everson Griffen (with Lions) and TE Luke Stocker (with Falcons) and 49ers WR Mohammed Sanu; Stocker with San Francisco C Alex Mack and OL Daniel Brunskill in Atlanta

Minnesota TE Chris Herndon (with Jets) and LB Nick Vigil (with Bengals) and San Francisco LB Jordan Willis

Vikings QB Kirk Cousins and CB Bashaud Breeland with 49ers CB Josh Norman, T Trent Williams and Compton in Washington

Minnesota LS Andrew DePaola and San Francisco LB Arden Key with the Raiders

Vikings NT Michael Pierce (Injured Reserve) with 49ers FB Kyle Juszczyk and OL Jake Brendel in Baltimore

Mannion and San Francisco DL Samson Ebukam with the Los Angeles Rams

FORMER COLLEGE TEAMMATES

Vikings CB Kris Boyd and 49ers DL Charles Omenihu at Texas

Minnesota WR Dan Chisena and San Francisco DL Kevin Givens at Penn State

Vikings C Mason Cole with 49ers DL Maurice Hurst and CB Ambry Thomas at Michigan

Minnesota G Wyatt Davis and San Francisco RB Trey Sermon at Ohio State

Vikings DE D.J. Wonnum and 49ers WR Deebo Samuel at South Carolina

Minnesota LB Troy Dye and San Francisco DB Deommodore Lenoir at Oregon

Vikings WR Justin Jefferson and Key at LSU

Minnesota K Greg Joseph and San Francisco LB Azeez Al-Shaair at Florida Atlantic

Vikings LB Blake Lynch, DL James Lynch and CB Harrison Hand at Baylor with 49ers RB JaMycal Hasty at Baylor

VIKINGS TOP PERFORMERS VS. 49ERS

CAREER TOTALS

(Regular Season only)

Offense

Kirk Cousins: 2 games (1 with Washington, 1 with Minnesota), 2-0 as a starter; 45-of-73 passing, 61.6 completion percentage, 574 passing yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT, 98.8 passer rating

Dalvin Cook: 1 game; 16 rushes for 40 yards (2.5 yards per carry); 6 receptions for 55 yards (9.2 per catch)

Adam Thielen: 2 games (1 start); 6 receptions for 102 yards (17.0 per catch)

Defense

Everson Griffen: 3 games (2 starts); 10 tackles, 1.0 sacks, 1 pass defended, 1 fumble recovery

Anthony Barr: 2 games (2 starts); 14 tackles (11 solo), 2 TFL, 2 passes defended

Patrick Peterson: 20 games with Arizona (20 starts); 50 tackles, 1.0 sack, 3 TFL, 3 FR, 11 passes defended

Harrison Smith: 3 games (3 starts); 23 tackles (14 solo), 1.0 sack, 2 TFL, 1 INT, 1 FR, 2 passes defended

(tackles are league stats)

VIKINGS BIG DAYS VS. 49ERS

Cousins: 20-of-36 passing for 244 yards and 2 TDs (passer rating of 95.1); 4 rushes for 26 yards in Minnesota on Sept. 9, 2018, in his first start as a Viking

Cook: 16 rushes for 40 yards and 6 catches for 55 yards in Minnesota on Sept. 9, 2018

Thielen: 6 receptions for 102 yards (17.0 per catch) in Minnesota on Sept. 9, 2018

Griffen: 0.5 sack, 3 QB hits, 4 tackles, 1 pass defended in Minnesota on Sept. 9, 2018

Barr: 12 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 pass defended at San Francisco on Sept. 14, 2015

Smith: 7 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 INT, 1 FR in Minnesota on Sept. 9, 2018

VIKINGS-49ERS SERIES NOTES

1. Ahmad Rashad set the Vikings team record for touchdown receptions in a game with four in a 28-22 comeback victory at Metropolitan Stadium.

2. Paul Flatley became the first Vikings receiver to post 200-plus yards in a game with 202 and two touchdowns on seven catches in a 42-41 win at San Francisco in 1965.

3. This is the first meeting between the teams in a regular season to occur outside of September since Dec. 9, 2007.

Longest Vikings winning streak in series: 5 games (Sept. 15, 1963 through Oct. 24, 1965)

Longest Vikings losing streak in series: 4 games twice (Oct. 15, 1961 through Dec. 2, 1962 and Oct. 30, 1988 through Dec. 30, 1990 — includes two postseason games)