The Los Angeles Rams dominated the Minnesota Vikings 27-9 on Monday to close out the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs. The game was played at a neutral site in Glendale, Arizona, because of the wildfires in the Los Angeles region.
The Rams’ pass rush was the story of the night, as it piled up nine sacks, tying an NFL playoff record. The game was more or less over by halftime, as Los Angeles took a 24-3 lead into the break.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford completed 19 of 27 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns, earning his first postseason victory since Super Bowl 56.
Minnesota's Sam Darnold struggled mightily in the face of the Los Angeles pass rush. He completed 25 of 40 passes for 245 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. Darnold also fumbled on one of the nine sacks, and the Rams recovered for a touchdown.
The night started with a statement drive by Los Angeles, which scored on a seven-play, 70-yard jaunt on the game’s first possession. After a quick three-and-out by Minnesota, the Rams took a two-score lead with a field goal on their next drive.
The Vikings answered with a field goal early in the second quarter, but it didn’t get much better from there. Minnesota’s last two drives of the first half ultimately cost them the game.
First, after the Vikings defense forced a three-and-out following a Darnold interception, he was strip-sacked, and Jared Verse recovered the ball and returned it for a 57-yard touchdown. Then, on Minnesota’s next possession, Darnold was sacked on fourth-and-2 from midfield. Los Angeles took advantage of the short field and scored a touchdown five plays later.
The Vikings would finally score a touchdown in the third quarter — after a Rams field goal — but it was too little too late. The teams largely traded punts for the final 20 minutes of game time.
Minnesota’s season is over after only one round of the playoffs. The Vikings went 14-3 in the regular season but started the postseason on the road because the Detroit Lions won the NFC North.
Darnold, who started every game for Minnesota this year but struggled in the last two, is on track to be a free agent.
Los Angeles, meanwhile, will head on the road for real in the divisional round. The Rams' next opponent is the Philadelphia Eagles, who won their wild-card matchup against the Green Bay Packers.
Final: Rams 27, Vikings 9
This one was over by halftime, if we’re being honest.
What an impressive effort by the Rams, who win after a chaotic week in Los Angeles that forced this game to be played in Arizona. The Rams will now play the Eagles in the Divisional Round.
Brutal loss for the Vikings, who won 14 games in the regular season, had to open the playoffs on the road, and are now eliminated. Even more brutal for Sam Darnold, whose potential summer payday has likely taken a hit after back-to-back subpar performances.
Vikings turn over on downs
The Vikings turned the ball over on downs after Sam Darnold threw incomplete on 4th-and-11. Minnesota didn’t exactly have a ton or urgency on the drive, perhaps a sign of how much the team believes it can make up an 18-point deficit.
The Rams have the ball and are trying to chew some clock.
Rams punt after penalty-filled drive
Two holdings and a false start had the Rams staring down a 1st-and-31...so, yeah, they punted.
The Vikings have the ball, but they still trail 27-9 and there are only seven minutes and 25 seconds remaining.
Sam Darnold sacked again; Vikings punt
The Vikings had a gotta-have-it 3rd-and-8 from the Rams’ 37 and Sam Darnold was sacked for a 13-yard loss, killing the drive. It was Los Angeles’s seventh sack of the night.
Minnesota punted down three scores instead of trying to pick up a 4th-and-21, and this one now feels all but over.
End of third: Rams 27, Vikings 9
Good news: The Vikings outscored the Rams in the third quarter 6-3.
Bad news: Minnesota is still trailing by 18 points (or three possessions).
The Vikings need to get going, and get going quickly, if this game is going to be even remotely exciting by the end of the fourth.
Vikings force a punt
Is Minnesota mounting a comeback? The Vikings just forced the Rams to punt after five plays.
Minnesota’s offense has a tall order in front of them, however, as its next drive will start from the 4-yard line, 96 yards away from the end zone.
Touchdown, Vikings!
The Vikings’ offense finally gets in the end zone.
Nice stuff from Sam Darnold, who moved around and made some plays on a 62-yard drive, capped by a 26-yard touchdown catch-and-run by T.J. Hockenson.
The two-point conversion was no good, however, so Minnesota now trails 27-9.
Vikings hold Rams to field goal
The Vikings need all the wins they can get, so they’ll be happy with a third-down sack on Matthew Stafford that forced the Rams to settle for a field goal after an 11-play, 51-yard drive.
Andrew Van Ginkel recorded the sack, Minnesota’s first of the night.
Los Angeles now leads 27-3.
Vikings punt to start the second half
Well, at least Sam Darnold wasn’t sacked on this drive.
The Vikings went 20 yards in five plays, but Darnold missed an open Jalen Nailor on 3rd-and-5 so Minnesota punted.
The Rams will start their first possession of the third quarter with a 24-3 lead.
Halftime: Rams 24, Vikings 3
An ugly one in Arizona tonight, as the Vikings look shell-shocked offensively.
The Rams have six sacks, two takeaways and a defensive touchdown through only two quarters. The offense has been dialed in as well, with 17 points of its own in the first half.
Can Sam Darnold do anything in the second half? Otherwise, Los Angeles could be resting starters early tonight.
Touchdown, Rams!
That feels like a possible first-half dagger.
Five plays after Sam Darnold was sacked for the sixth time, the Rams take advantage of the short field and get in the end zone.
Matthew Stafford found Davis Allen for a 13-yard score only 15 seconds before halftime.
Los Angeles now leads 24-3.
Sam Darnold sacked on fourth down; Rams take back the ball
Sam Darnold was just sacked for the sixth time, and this time it came on a 4th-and-2 from midfield. I like the aggressiveness by the Vikings, but they can’t have that happen on that play. Darnold has to find a way to get rid of the ball or get outside of the pocket.
The Rams have the ball on the edge of field-goal range with a 17-3 lead.
Touchdown, Rams!
Two plays after a possible Vikings fumble was overturned, Sam Darnold fumbled for real.
Darnold was strip-sacked by Ahkello Witherspoon, then Jared Verse recovered the ball and ran it back 57 yards for a touchdown.
Los Angeles’s defensive line is dominating this game, as the unit already has four sacks.
The Rams now have a 17-3 lead.
Rams go three-and-out after pick
That was quick. Three plays after intercepting Sam Darnold, the Rams are giving him the ball back. A holding penalty on first down was too much for Los Angeles to overcome on its latest drive.
It’s still a 10-3 Rams lead.
Interception, Rams!
The Vikings were given a new life on their most recent drive after a roughing-the-kicker penalty on a punt gave them a first down. But only three plays later, Sam Darnold was intercepted by Cobie Durant while trying to hit Jordan Addison.
The Rams have the ball and a 10-3 lead.
And now the Rams go three-and-out
The tide is turning in the second quarter.
The Vikings defense just made their first stop of the night. Matthew Stafford nearly fumbled on the drive’s opening possession, which ultimately ended with three straight incompletions.
Minnesota now has the ball on its own 27, trailing 10-3.
Vikings on the board with a field goal
The Vikings opted against going for it on 4th-and-2 from the 16, and instead called on Will Reichard for a 34-yard field goal, which he hit.
Nice drive by Minnesota, which looked to be on the ropes after the game’s first three possessions. Keep an eye on the Rams’ pass rush though — Sam Darnold has already been sacked twice.
Los Angeles will take back over the ball leading 10-3.
End of first: Rams 10, Vikings 0
The Rams dominated the first quarter, putting together two scoring drives while forcing a three-and-out on defense.
But the Vikings have settled in on their second possession. They’ll have a 3rd-and-10 from the Los Angeles 24 when the second quarter begins.
Rams settle for field goal in the red zone
The Rams looked well on their way to a second touchdown until an unnecessary roughness penalty turned a 2nd-and-1 from the 12 to a 2nd-and-16 from the 27, and the offense was unable to pick up a first down.
So after an eight-play, 62-yard drive, Joshua Karty came on and hit a 34-yard field goal.
Los Angeles leads 10-0. But after a nightmare start for the Vikings, that’s not as bad as it should be.
Vikings go three-and-out on opening drive
Not an ideal start for the Vikings.
Minnesota punted after only three plays, two of which were negative. Sam Darnold was sacked on his first dropback after a rush by Aaron Jones lost a yard.
The Rams will start their second possession with a 7-0 lead.
Touchdown, Rams!
What an opening drive by the Rams!
Los Angeles goes 65 yards in seven plays, capped by a five-yard touchdown catch by Kyren Williams. The drive was extended by an offsides penalty on the Vikings on a 4th-and-1 from the 10.
The Rams lead 7-0.
We’re off!
And the Rams are off to a hot start, as their first play from scrimmage was a 27-yard pass to Puka Nacua.
Victims of Los Angeles wildfires honored with moment of silence
Before kickoff between the Rams and Vikings, those in attendance in Arizona held a moment of silence for the victims of the wildfires in Los Angeles.
The moment was held after a stirring speech by former Rams offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth.
Former Rams star Aaron Donald in the building
The future of Sam Darnold
By all accounts, Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold is having a career year. He ranks among the league's top 10 QBs in yards passing, passer rating and winning percentage. The question, however, is whether Minnesota chooses to bring him back next season.
Darnold said the answer could be determined in his performance tonight against the Rams.
“This is the time,” Darnold told media earlier this week, "when people -- whether guys are in the league for a long time, whether they’ve been with the same team for a long time, whether they’re bouncing around the league -- it’s kind of where legacies I guess are made. In the playoffs. Not just winning games, but winning those later games."
Vikings have arrived
Expect a big night from Sam Darnold
Yes, Darnold is coming off his worst performance of the season, particularly in the red zone. And yes, the Rams have beaten the Vikings already once this season. But Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell is one of football’s most creative offensive minds, and now he is going against a Rams defense that ranks below the league average in how often it gets sacks, and also ranks 23rd this season in opponent passer rating. Detroit’s aggressive pass rush clearly bothered Darnold in the regular-season finale, but if the Vikings can give him time, he can be effective. Among playoff teams, only Tampa Bay’s defense has allowed a higher average passer rating.
Why Vikings should be worried
The Vikings were nearly the NFC’s No. 1 seed, but this is a team that lived off one-score victories all year. You have to be good to do that, of course, but there’s an element of luck involved. Also-rans Arizona and Seattle almost beat Minnesota in December. This was a consistent team over the course of the regular season, but it was never as dominant as its gaudy record indicated.
Rams help bus fans to Arizona
After the game was moved from L.A. to Arizona due to the wildlife fires, Rams ownership secured 15 buses with 750 spots to help bus fans down to the new stadium.
Here they are a few hours before game time:
A rematch of Week 8
The Rams defeated the Vikings 30-20 at SoFi Stadium in Week 8. Los Angeles QB Matthew Stafford threw four touchdown passes that day.
The last time these two franchises met in the postseason was Jan. 16, 2000, a 49-37 win by the St. Lous Rams. Kurt Warner threw five touchdown passes and four future Hall of Famers — Isaac Bruce, Marshall Faulk, Cris Carter and Randy Moss — each recorded at least 100 scrimmage yards and a touchdown.
The Vikings are on upset alert
The Vikings are very slight favorites against the Rams, and I think Minnesota — despite its 14-3 record — is a team I’m definitely nervous about. First off, Los Angeles already beat the Vikings once at home this season, winning 30-20 in Week 7, a game in which Matthew Stafford threw for four touchdowns. And thanks to the NFL’s love of division winners, Minnesota is back on the road to start the playoffs.
Simply put, I’m nervous for Sam Darnold in his first ever postseason action, especially coming off a dispiriting outing against the Lions in the Vikings’ season finale. And though defensive coordinator Brian Flores can concoct a great game plan, there’s nothing Stafford hasn’t seen.