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Good morning from Arizona, where the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams have convened to conclude Wild Card Weekend tonight on Monday Night Football.

The Vikings (14-3) are the No. 5 seed and have more wins than any Wild Card participant ever, and the Rams (10-7) are the No. 4 seed as the NFC West Champions.

This game would have been in Los Angeles, but wildfires in the L.A. area prompted the relocation to the home of the Arizona Cardinals.

The winner of tonight's game will visit Philadelphia in the Divisional Round.

The Vikings and Rams (and Chargers and Texans and NFL) worked together on a $5 million donation to help the recovery efforts, and I first want to pass along hopes that everyone affected will receive the support they need and be able to channel an inner strength, from the first responders who serve with courage to the victims who are rebuilding and repairing.

"Very proud of being associated with [Vikings Owners] Mark and Zygi [Wilf] making the donation they did," Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell said Saturday during his end-of-week press conference. "Everybody knows the effect, the impact that Southern California [had on me] and where I hold it near and dear to my heart. To know that our organization was so generous donating to something so important and so impactful, made me very proud to be associated with this team, as well as the Arizona Cardinals for what they've done opening up their home not only for the Rams but allowing us to have a pretty seamless transition to play a playoff game in Arizona.

"It's been a lot of work, a lot of great work by a lot of people from the league to the Rams, to the Cardinals, and obviously a lot of our folks here in the house," O'Connell added.

He made sure to mention Vikings Director of Team Operations Paul Martin and Vice President of Operations and Facilities Chad Lundeen and the ops staff "for making it easy on me to focus on football, knowing that they've made it seamless for us."

"I think the league did a great job communicating throughout the week and working through that decision with the Rams and us to allow everybody to have total clarity so that we can make it about the game and most importantly as well just knowing that all those folks out in Southern California on our on our minds and in our hearts," O'Connell said.

Personally, I'm always impressed with the Vikings ops staff and how skilled they are at navigating challenges and changes.

That group adjusted on the fly when the Week 18 game was slotted for the final game of the regular season. Because playoff matchups were not determined until Week 18, the group did due diligence to prepare if the Vikings wound up going to Los Angeles, Seattle, Tampa or Atlanta before responding to Thursday's relocation of this game.

I'm anticipating a strong showing by fanbases of each team to also make the trip to Arizona, a locale quite a few Vikings fans enjoy this time of year.

O'Connell was asked what type of environment he expects.

"We're going in like we're the road team in a playoff game," O'Connell said. "You can always adjust the other way if that's the case, but I know their fans are very passionate about their team and like we've said all along, we're getting on a plane to go play a road playoff game, and our fans travel well. We know that. We've seen that all season long, and we've got to go into it knowing that the environment and the circumstances, especially coming off last Sunday where we got to feel [a road playoff atmosphere] at a pretty significant level and work through it. Hopefully we can extract that experience and apply it to being a road playoff team."

One difference for both teams that play their home games on turf is that State Farm Stadium features a grass surface that is moved outdoors and back inside after catching some sunshine.

The venue that hosted Super Bowls XLII, XLIX and LVII will also be the setting for the 200^th game (including regular season and playoffs) for Harrison Smith, and I've had the fortune to cover 172 of those beginning in 2014 against Atlanta (he recorded his 7^th career interception that day).

That's an incredible number of games (it will be his 199^th start) for the Vikings safety who recorded his 37^th career interception last week at Detroit.

"It's unbelievable," O'Connell said near the end of the question about the significance of 200.

"I mean just to know with every single one of those games, there's a story behind his impact on huge performances where the Minnesota Vikings have won a lot of games with him playing safety for us and long before I got here. But at the same time, there's also a story of a Wednesday practice, a Thursday practice, Friday, Saturday, the preparation he puts in, the commitment from him and his family, the countless hundreds of teammates he's had that he had an impact on. With a number like that, the way I look at it is it's significant for Harrison, but it's significant for so many little things along the way that are hard to even put into words, so I think that's a really special number for a lot of reasons."

And the mention of the phrase "really special" takes me all the way back to the 1969 Vikings, who were so instrumental in this organization emerging from floundering as an expansion team to a decade of dominance that has been followed by a consistent culture of winning.

Tonight's game will be the eighth postseason contest between the Vikings and Rams all-time.

Minnesota is 5-2, and games have been played in Minnesota, Los Angeles and St. Louis. Three of the Vikings victories were eventually followed by trips to Super Bowls IV, IX and XI.

The first provided the franchise's first postseason victory all-time, thanks to overcoming a 10-point halftime deficit and prevailing 23-20.

Joe Kapp gave the Vikings their first lead of the game with a 2-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, and Carl Eller tackled Roman Gabriel in the end zone for a safety for the day's final points. Eller recorded two sacks, Jim Marshall had one, and Alan Page returned an interception 29 yards as the Purple People Eaters prevailed over the team featuring the Fearsome Foursome.

I just finished reading Joe Kapp "The Toughest Chicano": A Life of Leadership, a memoir by Kapp that is available for purchase at joekappbook.com. Proceeds fund scholarships for first-time Latino students attending the University of California-Berkeley through Cal's Chicano Alumni Association.

It's a great read with Kapp's thoughts on leadership, fun anecdotes about teammates and everything that went into the "40 for 60" motto that became a rallying cry for a team that won 12 consecutive regular season games, two playoff contests including the 1969 NFL Championship and appeared in Super Bowl IV.

Given my respect and admiration for those who advanced football and the NFL, I valued the opportunity to interview Robert G. Phelps, one of the books co-authors. He was a Rams fan growing up in Connecticut in 1969, an allegiance established by his late cousin Billy Maselli.

The events of the day crushed the sixth-grader Phelps, but as fate would have it, he later wound up working with Kapp's son, J.J., as public defenders in Northern California. They became great friends, to the degree of working on the book together. Phelps also was a guest of the family in 2019 with the Vikings brought back the 1969 team for a 50^th reunion.

"I thought the Minnesota Vikings were the perfect antagonist in any story, because they were big, they were mean, they played in the cold, they felt no pain. They were unstoppable," Phelps said. "And the guy who was the leader of them all was Joe Kapp. He always had the five o'clock shadow and the growl. And when I was watching that game as a kid, I thought, 'God, I don't like this idea that Southern California Rams in Bloomington, Minnesota, in the winter.' I just said that doesn't feel good to me. So I was a little skeptical. But the Rams were controlling the game pretty much until the end, and as I watched the game, the thing that impressed me the most was that Joe Kapp was always pumped up. He was always smiling. He's always like, there's still time on the clock we could win. And I can remember feeling unnerved by his intensity and his dedication to win for the Minnesota Vikings and the fans up there, and he ultimately punched that quarterback bootleg over Jim Nettles. And it's like my heart stopped."

Time healed those wounds, and Phelps, now a Rams season-ticket holder living south of Los Angeles, was able to gain an appreciation for that epic battle with kickoff temperature at 11 degrees Fahrenheit, which matched Kapp's jersey number.

"I think the irony of it for me is J.J. and I were both public defenders, and we were always concerned with the rights of the indigent accused and always had a heart for underdogs, and I realized that Joe Kapp is like the wellspring of that for J.J.," Phelps said. "I would have fit in quite nicely with the 1969 Minnesota Vikings in terms of how I saw the world.

"When I think of '40 for 60,' I think of a man that raised one of my best friends in the world, and looking at going up to Minnesota and going to the [2019] game and meeting some of the fans, just really nice people, really fun, enthusiastic."

Phelps credited Kapp with establishing a Vikings brand of blue-collar toughness and welcome to all who are all-in.

"Whenever J.J. and I talk, we always say '40 for 60 forever.' "

I am incredibly proud of the team the Vikings have become this season. Watching them play has been pure excitement! The locker room speeches after a victory are inspiring, and the camaraderie among the players and coaches truly shines. It's evident that this team is more than just a group of players — it's a family united by a common goal.

Let's face it: in football, as in life, we can't always win. There will be setbacks, but the true measure of greatness lies in how you respond. Getting back up, lifting up your teammates, and focusing on the next challenge is the essence of success.

I'd love to get a glimpse of what happens in the locker room after a tough loss. What words of wisdom and motivation does the coach share? How does the team reset mentally and emotionally to stay strong and focused? The strength to say, "Next play is mine!" with fire and determination is what defines champions. The ability to self-ignite, raise the energy of your teammates, and turn the tide is what makes this team special.

Now, it's time to go 1-0 in the playoffs. The road to redemption starts here. Let's take on the challenge, beat the two teams that bested us in the regular season, and seize the momentum. The Vikings are an incredible team, and I have no doubt that we'll rise above and reign supreme.

#Skol

— Shawn Delaney, Hiram, Georgia

A great big hello to the hometown of Jonathan Greenard. Appreciate the growth that occurred in him that's positioned him to be such an impactful NFL player who garnered his first career Pro Bowl selection.

Feel like Shawn could lead a few locker room speeches.

Nothing is supposed to be easy in the playoffs, and it can be quite difficult to rebound from a rough showing, especially when so much was available in Week 18.

But the Vikings have been focused and dialed in this week as the team has prepared for the Rams.

Beyond division games, it's rare in the NFL to have a shot at redemption within a season, but that's where the Vikings are in trying to avenge the 30-20 loss to the Rams on Thursday Night Football.

Seems as if we got out of our game plan and fell into the trap of going for it on fourth down like Dan Cambell would do. That's not us, take the points and make them play from behind. Whether you're behind or ahead on the scoreboard affects how you call the game.

— Scott Reinhardt

The proven threat of Detroit's offense being able to score the football likely prompted the Vikings to go for it on the fourth downs early in the red zone, but coming away with no points, plus the way that can start tilting momentum, can backfire the way it did in Week 18.

What happened? I'll always be a Viking fan no matter what. This was a regular season game but with a lot of expectations from fans. Moving forward to the Rams, I sure hope we have a better game, and that we play and beat the Lions! Third times a charm?

— Doris Linderman

If there was going to be a bad game, it's better in the long run that it was last week, as opposed to this week, but that puts the onus on everyone to execute at a high level that was on display multiple times during the regular season.

And yes, this first shot at redemption could lead to another opportunity against Detroit.

I wish to express concern over the camera work/views that often appeared to be looking directly at Head Coach Kevin O'Connell and QB Sam Darnold, during the game and broadcast!

Whichever "camera" that was over the huddles, often showed Darnold's full play call. It hardly at all had similar "camera views" of Detroit huddles/play calling!

Broadcast views showed both HCs, but it appeared to linger and focus in when O'Connell was calling plays!

Of course, as a Minnesota Vikings fan since 1977, I may be somewhat biased, but I do believe it is important enough to mention the possibility of "play call stealing" by additional video sources!

SKOL, best of luck the rest of the season!

— Jeff O.

I honestly didn't consume the broadcast. It was on the monitors in the press box, but aside from trying to catch replays from time to time, I wasn't looking at the cameras before snaps.

Jeff isn't the only person who emailed me about this.

I understand the desire and ability of television broadcasts to deliver a wonderful product, but I personally don't understand why they cut to so many coach shots between plays, to be honest. I get having a camera stay on them if there are interesting reactions, but I don't understand the need for so many views of coaches, particularly while their headset communication is able to speak to the quarterback.

The overhead camera can provide some really cool access, but maybe it would be best to have a policy of not having the QB front and center while relaying the play call.

This was the best man coverage used by the Lions against the Vikings that I have ever seen by a team. It looked like they knew all the plays that we were going to run before we ran the play. We were physically outplayed by the Lions all night long. What a big disappointment.

Thanks,

— Jim Blackwell

Detroit had a really good night, for sure, blending scheme, physicality and risk-taking, and the Vikings didn't make the Lions pay for the risks they took with the heavy blitzes.

There were still some opportunities. If there's another rematch in Detroit, then Minnesota will have an opportunity to make some adjustments and work for a better outcome.

Why would [General Manager] Kwesi Adofo-Mensah not sign Daniel Jones to the active roster for Week 18?

I may be completely wrong, but it is my understanding that if the Vikings had done so and Daniel Jones signed with another team this off season, we would possibly be in line for up to a third-round compensatory pick in the following year's draft.

— Anthony Trovato in East Texas

Anthony's email was sent before Minnesota wound up signing Daniel Jones from the practice squad. To do that, Minnesota waived Brett Rypien in hopes he would clear waivers and could then sign to the Vikings practice squad. Rypien has earned some sincere credit from Vikings coaches for how well he has run the scout team offense to prepare Minnesota's defense this season. I highly recommend this story by our Rob Kleifield about the extra value that the Vikings practice squad/scout team has brought this season.

Minnesota succeeded in that, and Jones' signing to the 53-man roster this past week makes him eligible to be counted in the NFL's compensatory picks formula, but the valuation of comp picks will be determined by multiple other factors.

Dang man, this one hurt. Going into the game, I wasn't fully confident in this team to pull out with a win. However, I was still expecting us to put up a good fight and show America how good of a team we can be. However, that was not the case. The defense was trying its best but got worn out in the second half. Still extremely proud of the takeaways we had (my boy Harrison "The Hitman"), but it just wasn't enough. And oh boy, the offense just couldn't come together for the life of them. Darnold was under a lot of pressure, probably the most he's seen all season. He's usually good at holding onto the ball in the pocket and making great reads and plays. But that just wasn't the case for this game. He was worried and unfocused, constantly trying to force the ball into a receiver's hands. But because of this rush, he overthrew almost every pass. Jefferson could have had a couple touchdowns if we could have just been more accurate. And not all of it is Darnold's fault. O'Connell, love him, but he never made any offensive adjustments to try and get us running. There was a lot of play-calling that just left me upset. He was definitely forcing the throw, and in the end, it caused us to shoot ourselves in the foot. Plus, the special teams falling apart really did not help. In the end, sure this wasn't our best game, but we can still rally back and win a game or two more. The season's not over, and we are a good team. Hopefully our Vikes will prepare well for another tough battle. Skol Vikings!!

(also hahahaha Packers lost)

— Olivia Bray, 16 in Chicago, Illinois

Thanks so much for the comprehensive email, Olivia.

There are a few things that could affect play-calling decisions, including belief in a play against a certain pre-snap look. The long run by Cam Akers looked like an audible at the line of scrimmage, but it did seem like there were a few more opportunities to run the ball early in the game.

I'd imagine a good bit of the plan had been built on recent weeks of film study.

Xs, Os and execution have room for improvement if the Vikings earn another shot.

I live in Maryville, Tennessee. Born and raised in Wisconsin. Attended high school in Minnesota in the late 60s and became a diehard Vikings fan. As this season passed, I just knew that this was the year we would win it all.

Although the NFC NORTH title is gone, the playoffs can still render a Super Bowl appearance and hopefully a Super Bowl title.

54 years is a long time to be dedicated to a team. And, regardless of playoffs outcome, I will always remain a loyal Vikings fan.

Best of luck. My coaches always said to win each game, you have to leave it all on the field. My high school football team was undefeated for the first time in 53 years, so I see a victory in the future is possible.

Leave it all on the field!

— Ralph Karras (Yes, related to Alex and Ted)

That is a long run of supporting the Vikings and taking that love with you to different locations. Really cool lineage for football, as well. Congrats to the alma mater for its undefeated season.

We'll wrap here and eagerly await kickoff and join in saying "40 for 60 forever."

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