Rams dominate Vikings, will face Eagles in divisional spherical

GLENDALE, Ariz. — In a playoff sport that was moved from SoFi Stadium due to the wildfires in Southern California, the Los Angeles Rams beat the Minnesota Vikings 27-9 on Monday evening to advance to the divisional spherical.

It was a formidable efficiency for a younger protection that has taken an enormous step ahead because the begin of the season, which included a 41-10 drubbing at State Farm Stadium towards the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2.

However on Monday evening, the Rams received to Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold early and sometimes, and Defensive Rookie of the 12 months candidate Jared Verse recovered a fumble and ran it in for a landing to provide Los Angeles a 17-3 lead within the second quarter.

Darnold took a complete of 9 sacks on the evening — tying an NFL playoff file — and Minnesota’s offense failed to realize a lot momentum.

The Rams’ playoff victory — their first since profitable Tremendous Bowl LVI through the 2021 season — got here as gamers and coaches wore Los Angeles Fireplace Division hats and shirts on the sideline to honor the primary responders preventing the fires in Los Angeles.

Subsequent comes the divisional spherical of the playoffs, the place the Rams will journey to Philadelphia to play the Eagles on Sunday.

Listed below are crucial issues to know for each groups:

QB breakdown: Matthew Stafford accomplished 19 of 27 passes for 209 yards with two touchdowns and was sacked twice. He accomplished 12 passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns to operating backs and tight ends. In accordance with ESPN Analysis, that’s his most such yards and passing touchdowns in a sport this season.

Most shocking efficiency: The Rams’ sizzling begin on offense. Los Angeles struggled to attain early all season, however that wasn’t the case on Monday evening because the Rams scored a landing on their opening drive for simply the third time this season, in keeping with ESPN Analysis. It was a seven-play, 70-yard drive. Stafford was 6-for-6 for 64 yards, together with a 5-yard landing move to operating again Kyren Williams.

Pivotal play: Early within the second quarter, Stafford was hit by Vikings outdoors linebacker Jonathan Greenard. The play was initially dominated a fumble and a Vikings landing after Blake Cashman’s scoop and rating. That might have tied the sport at 10 pending an additional level, however the name was reversed to an incomplete move, and the Rams stored the ball.

Describe the sport in two phrases: Sack assault. The Rams sacked Darnold 9 occasions, tying an NFL playoff file. Darnold was sacked six occasions within the first half, essentially the most in any half in any sport of his profession. In accordance with ESPN Analysis, the final crew with six sacks within the first half of a playoff sport was Washington within the January 1988 NFC Championship Recreation towards Minnesota. — Sarah Barshop

Subsequent sport: at Eagles (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET)

The Vikings’ dream season got here crashing down of their remaining — and most vital — two video games of the yr. Now they will have the offseason to determine why — and what to do about it.

On the heart of the dialogue can be Darnold, who put up a second consecutive shaky efficiency after seeming to resurrect his profession throughout a magical common season. He struggled Monday evening to make selections within the pocket, in the end taking six sacks within the first half alone after holding the ball a mean of 4.52 seconds on these dropbacks, per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats. He misplaced a fumble on a kind of sacks, which Rams linebacker Jared Verse returned for a landing, and he additionally threw an interception within the first half.

That outing got here one week after he accomplished solely 18 of 41 passes in a 31-9 loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 18, a sport wherein he misfired on no less than three potential landing alternatives.

Darnold threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns through the common season, prompting the Vikings to contemplate whether or not they need to carry him again subsequent season and delay the coronation of rookie J.J. McCarthy. However the remaining two video games of this season might make that dialogue moot.

Eye-popping stat: In a testomony to the struggles of Darnold — and the remainder of the offense — the Vikings went 21 consecutive drives with no landing earlier than tight finish T.J. Hockenson scored on a 26-yard reception within the third quarter. The streak, relationship again to their Week 17 victory over the Inexperienced Bay Packers, was their longest since coach Kevin O’Connell arrived to begin the 2022 season.

Most shocking efficiency: O’Connell’s lack of changes. He has expressed excessive belief in Darnold all through the season and stated as soon as once more final week that he was assured Darnold would rebound from his efficiency in Detroit. However O’Connell had no substantive changes available if Darnold got here up brief. He made Daniel Jones his No. 3 quarterback, that means he wasn’t eligible to interchange Darnold for efficiency causes, and O’Connell continued calling move performs that left Darnold frazzled towards a Rams move rush that recorded sacks on six of the 9 pressures it received in that first half.

Greatest gap within the sport plan: After failing to get a lot stress on Stafford within the groups’ regular-season matchup, the Vikings blitzed him on 4 of his first six dropbacks through the opening possession of Monday evening’s sport. It did not work. Stafford diced by means of these blitzes, marching the Rams on a landing drive that set the tone for the complete sport. — Kevin Seifert