Minnesota– The Minnesota Vikings are facing a familiar challenge after a disappointing 31-9 loss to the Detroit Lions in the regular season finale, which dropped them to the No. 5 seed in the NFC playoffs.
Now, the Vikings must hit the road for a first-round matchup against the No. 4-seeded Los Angeles Rams. This game mirrors a tough stretch during the regular season where Minnesota lost to the Lions in Week 7, followed by a loss to the Rams just days later on Thursday Night Football.
Although the Vikings managed to win nine consecutive games after that two-game slump, their playoff run leaves no room for error, making this postseason road all the more daunting.
Vikings’ Tough Path to the Super Bowl Starts with Rams
The last visit to Los Angeles was a rough one for Minnesota. Facing off against his former team, head coach Kevin O’Connell was outcoached by his mentor, Rams head coach Sean McVay. McVay’s familiarity with O’Connell’s offensive strategy led to a lackluster performance from the Vikings’ offense.
After a strong 14-point first quarter, Minnesota failed to score another touchdown, ultimately losing 30-20. Quarterback Sam Darnold got off to a strong start, going 8-for-8 for 97 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter, but he managed just 147 more yards on 10 completions for the rest of the game. The Vikings offense converted just 2 of 7 third downs and struggled with efficiency.
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Meanwhile, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for four touchdowns, leading the Rams to total 386 yards of offense.
Darnold Must Bounce Back After Loss to Lions
The Week 18 showdown with the Detroit Lions was expected to be one of the most high-stakes games of the season. With both teams having 14 wins, it marked a rare occurrence with playoff implications and top seeding on the line.
In the hostile environment at Ford Field, Darnold seemed to struggle under the pressure. He sailed several passes early on and finished the game with a season-low 166 yards, completing just 18 of 41 passes with a 43.9% completion rate. ESPN reported that Darnold missed several key throws, recording eight overthrows in the first half alone.
His 34% off-target rate in that game is the second-worst of his career, with the only worse performance coming in 2019 with the New York Jets, during which he famously admitted to “seeing ghosts” against the New England Patriots.
One silver lining for Darnold has been his ability to bounce back from poor games. Despite struggles earlier in the season, including games without a touchdown pass, Darnold has shown resilience. For the Vikings to make a playoff run and secure their first postseason win since 2019, Darnold will need to shake off the Lions loss and rediscover his rhythm.
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