SANTA CLARA — The 49ers defense may have experienced a statistical skid in recent weeks, but not the type to hinder the No. 1 seed’s place among the upper echelon in defensive efficiency.

In particular, San Francisco has been among the league’s best at containing opposing tight ends (an 88.4 rating, according to Pro Football Focus). That effort is second only to the 49ers’ divisional-round opponent Saturday at Levi’s Stadium.

As the 49ers embark upon their first playoff berth since 2013, could the Minnesota Vikings (60.3 rating) spell trouble for George Kittle, arguably the most important cog in the 49ers offensive machinery?

Let’s look at how this Vikings defense breaks down.

That statistic is no flukey outlier; the Vikings’ defense is one of the best units left in these playoff rounds. Their 9.9% defensive DVOA ranks seventh in the league with a 34 percent SC% (score per drive percentage) ranking 13th. Sure, this is no reincarnation of the Purple People Eaters of the 1960s, but a strong defensive line led by longtime Vikings Danielle Walker and Everson Griffen anchors an underrated force.

“The Vikings are very sound up front, very sound defense,” left tackle Joe Staley said on Tuesday. “They have a lot of guys that have played in that system, played together for a long time. So they know exactly where each other will be. It’s hard to get them out of position, so it really comes down to doing your techniques and blocks. And they have really talented players up front.”

[Inside the making of Kittle, a dominant force playing with pure joy]

“They’re a talented group defensively,” 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo said on Tuesday. “They’re sound, they have their rules, they stick to their rules. Coach (Mike) Zimmer does a great job getting them into great plays and they make it tough on offenses. That d-line, they’re impressive.”

The defense is strong as a whole, but its strongest limbs explain its potency against tight ends. The stout man coverage Vikings’ safeties Anthony Harris and Harrison Smith and weak-side inside linebacker Eric Hendricks play affords little air for the tight ends to breathe.

“Their overall scheme I think helps them with that,” Garoppolo said on Tuesday, asked about the Vikings’ efficiency against tight ends. “They have talented safeties, talented linebackers, who are the guys covering them, and they do good in man-to-man situations. So it’ll be tough on us to get those completions.”

Minnesota’s safeties, in particular, help this pass defense jump off the page. Smith holds an impressive 11.7 opposing QB rating, Jayron Kearse (who missed half the season with injuries) a 34.6 rating and Harris a 41.5 rating.

Harris has seven interceptions this season, including a pick of New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees late in the second half of the Wild Card game.

The 49ers should be wary of this pass defense the Vikings will trot out on Saturday. But they won’t be facing your typical offense — tight end play at Levi’s Stadium isn’t traditional or cut and dry. And Kittle, a two-time Pro-Bowler, isn’t just another tight end.

But, let’s look at how the Vikings fared against another elite tight end. Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce had one of his slower games against Minnesota this season, hauling in seven receptions for just 62 yards — not one reception exceeding 20 yards.

With gunslinger Patrick Mahomes tracking him down, Kelce has averaged 9 yards per target this season. Kelce wasn’t rendered ineffective that October day — he hauled in a huge 17-yard catch that set up the game-winning field goal — but his big-play potency was limited.

It may be to the 49ers’ advantage that their physical tight end thrives after the catch. Kittle only averages 6 yards per target, but is averaging 7.1 yards after each catch.

The Vikings’ crop of safeties and linebackers could certainly be one of Kittle’s toughest challenges yet.

Or, maybe that’s not the right perspective — with Garoppolo threading the needle, Kittle’s propensity for contact and physicality might be this Minnesota defense’s toughest challenge yet.