Oct 24, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) runs the ball ahead of Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Kobie Turner (91) during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings’ 14-3 record will be tested Monday night as Kevin O’Connell and friends travel to Inglewood, California — or Glendale, Arizona — for a Wildcard playoff meeting with the Los Angeles Rams.
The Rams are 1.5-point underdogs.
It won’t be easy, especially for a Rams club that can beat any team in the sport if it’s in the right mood, but here are six reasons why Minnesota can prevail, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = most telling argument).
O’Connell worked for the Rams in 2020 and 2021, winning a Super Bowl in his final season, the event that prompted his promotion to head coach in Minnesota.
His former boss, Sean McVay, defeated his team in October, so Monday is when O’Connell can even the score.
O’Connell will be mindful not to lose against his former employer twice consecutively.
When Minnesota and Los Angeles squared off 2.5 months ago, neither linebacker Blake Cashman nor tight end T.J. Hockenson played. Both were on the shelf due to injury.
Those players have a significant impact, and showcasing them in the lineup during Wildcard Weekend just has to matter.
This is what the Vikings are up against this week:
Rams Defense | 2024 EPA/Play = 23rd
Rams Defense | 2024 DVOA = 26th
Most teams with defenses this subpar don’t reach the postseason.
Minnesota won 14 games; Los Angeles won 10. The Rams have stretches where they play wonderfully, knocking off the Buffalo Bills, for example, a few weeks ago.
They also have stinkers and aren’t totally consistent.
One of the hallmarks of the Vikings’ 2024 campaign? Consistency. And the offense and defense are relatively balanced, whereas the Rams’ defense is usually porous.
Los Angeles ranks 30th in the NFL per offensive line pass protection, according to Pro Football Focus. It did a magnificent job against Minnesota in Week 8, keeping Matthew Stafford upright the entire game.
However, it’s unlikely that the Rams’ relatively anonymous offensive line will do it again.
Minnesota should break through this go-round for a few sacks.
Darnold performed miserably last weekend. He looked like Desmond Ridder or Dorian Thompson-Robinson, completely unprepared for the bright lights of primetime at Ford Field.
The veteran passer has rebounded every step of the way this season in Minnesota, and it’s a safe bet to assume we won’t fire up back-to-back clunkers.
He might’ve got the stinker demons out of the way in Detroit.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.