GLENDALE, Ariz. — And just like that, one of the best regular seasons in Vikings history ended in the first round of the NFC Playoffs.
Minnesota won 14 games in 2024, losing to the Lions twice, and the Rams once after the first loss to Detroit.
Monday night was déjà vu all over again.
The Rams scored a touchdown on their first possession and never trailed for the final 55 minutes, eventually prevailing 27-9 in a game that was relocated from Los Angeles to Arizona because of wildfires in L.A.
The Rams had rested several of their players in Week 18, even though taking a loss that week dropped L.A. from the No. 3 seed to the No. 4 seed.
View game action photos from the Vikings at Rams Wild Card round matchup at State Farm Stadium.
The Vikings went all-in in trying to win against the Lions in Week 18 because the winner secured the NFC North, the No. 1 seed and the first-round bye.
Despite the relocation, the Rams started fresh and fast, opening with a 27-yard completion from Matthew Stafford to Puka Nacua on their first snap. That drive also included a 23-yard reception on a diving catch by Tyler Higbee, who racked up five catches for 58 yards before leaving the game with a chest injury.
The Vikings first three plays were a run for a loss of 1, a sack for a loss of 10 and completion to Justin Jefferson for 11, leading to a quick punt.
The Rams stretched their lead to 10 with a 34-yard field goal to cap their next possession before Minesota got on the board with a 34-yard field goal.
Here are four more observations presented by Minnesota Eye Consultants, the Proud LASIK Partner of the Minnesota Vikings, followed by a scoring summary:
1. Two scoops, but only one score
The Vikings succeeded in applying pressure to Stafford to open the Rams third possession.
As Jonathan Greenard was wrapping up Stafford, the ball came out and hit the turf. It was scooped and returned 26 yards by Blake Cashman, initially being ruled as a touchdown that would have tied the game at 10 early in the second quarter.
Instead, officials ruled that Stafford made enough of an attempt at passing the ball, and although it wasn't close to being complete, officials ruled Nacua was close enough to the football for it to not be intentional grounding. The Rams kept the ball and were able to punt it away with 13:58 left in the first half.
Less than 10 minutes later, the Vikings were less fortunate.
On third-and-7 from the L.A. 38-yard line, Darnold dropped back to pass, but the Rams succeeded in blitzing cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon. He knocked the ball from Darnold and it rested perfectly for rookie outside linebacker Jared Verse to scoop and stride 57 yards for a touchdown that made it 17-3 with 4:35 remaining in the second quarter.
View pregame photos as the Vikings get set for the Wild Card matchup against the Rams at State Farm Stadium.
2. Sacking spree
The sack taken on Minnesota's second offensive play of the game was an omen of things to come.
The Rams sacked Darnold at least once on each of Minnesota's first five possessions of the game and twice on Minnesota's next-to-last possession of the first half.
Los Angeles totaled nine sacks on the night, including 2.0 by Kobie Turner and 1.5 each by Byron Young and Neville Gallimore.
ESPN's Kevin Seifert noted the nine sacks tied an NFL record.
The Rams also succeeded multiple times with cornerback blitzes and finished with 12 QB hits.
Minnesota came close to getting to Stafford multiple times but were only able to total two sacks, one by Andrew Van Ginkel and one by Cashman.
3. Pivotal stretch before halftime
After the touchdown by Verse, Minnesota advanced the ball to midfield and faced a fourth-and-2 from the 50.
Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell opted to go for it on fourth down, and Darnold dropped back to pass but was sacked by Turner for a loss of 11.
That gave L.A. the ball at the Minnesota 39-yard line, and the Rams were able to use tempo to quickly score, despite only having one timeout left.
Stafford connected with Nacua for a gain of 12 to move the ball to the 13 and followed with a short pass to tight end Davis Allen, who found an opening in the defense and was able to rumble to the end zone.
That score made it 24-3 at halftime and put L.A. on cruise control in the second half.
View photos of the Vikings arriving at State Farm Stadium ahead of the Wild Card Round matchup vs. the Rams.
4. The effort was there but the execution wasn't
Darnold kept trying to find a rhythm and rally the Vikings, but he finished 25-of-40 passing for 245 yards. He tossed a costly interception on a third-and-7 with 10-plus minutes left in the second quarter and the score still 10-3.
The Vikings forced a punt, and Kamu Grugier-Hill nearly blocked it. It's hard to explain how close he came to getting the football. Instead, Minnesota took over at its own 10, and drove to the L.A. 36 before a tackle for loss on a run preceded the defensive touchdown by the Rams.
T.J. Hockenson led Minnesota with 64 yards on five catches, highlighted by an impressive 26-yard touchdown.
