The final game of the 2025 Wild Card round featured the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Rams. The Vikings had the best regular season record not resulting in a bye. Would the Vikings have the tenacity to bounce back, after the heartbreaking loss in the final week, or would the Rams prove worthy of the higher seed?
The Rams’ pass game drove them down the field to the 11-yard line on the opening drive, and on a fourth and short, they drew the defense offside for a first down. Quarterback Matthew Stafford teamed up with running back Kyren Williams for a five-yard passing touchdown to put the Rams up 7-0 early. Immediately forcing a three-and-out, the Rams looked dominant early. Los Angeles’ defense shut them down again, allowing their offense to tack on a field goal to go up 10-0 after one.
The Vikings responded early in the second quarter with a field goal, to make it 10-3 Rams. Los Angeles’ defense stepped up, with six sacks in the half, and scoring a touchdown, to go up 17-3. The Minnesota Vikings played more like timid Norse men for the remainder of the half. Stafford got another passing TD to put the Rams up 24-3 at halftime.
Darnold made some bad throws, resulting in a punt on their opening drive and the immediate look of defeat on his face. Rams’ kicker Joshua Karty added three to put Los Angeles up 27-3. Vikings’ tight end T.J. Hockenson salvaged a pass thrown behind him into a touchdown, but the team failed the two-point try, 27-9 Rams.
Minnesota started forcing passes deep, lucky not to get intercepted, but usually into coverage. The Vikings were forced to punt early in the fourth, and Rams’ running back Kyren Williams started to chew up the defense, and the clock. Los Angeles was called for two consecutive holding penalties, followed by a false start, finding themselves in a first and 31. Minnesota forced a punt, getting the ball back, down 18, with 7:25 remaining. The Vikings visibly quit at this point. Nobody was in a rush, running the play clock to three seconds, launching deep passes into coverage, it was a rough watch.
The Rams won 27-9, leaving Minnesota with more questions than answers. After looking like a diamond in the rough for 17 weeks, how much money did Darnold cost himself as a free agent going into next season? Los Angeles is showing how important it can be to peak at the right time, which they have been known to do in the postseason.
Howe Fresh
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