GLENDALE, Ariz. – The Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams both tried to normalize an unprecedented situation while many hearts and minds were on Southern California due to the devastating wildfires that have ravaged the Los Angeles area.
Perhaps the spirit of Los Angeles fueled the Rams as they cruised to a 27-9 victory.
Matthew Stafford passed for 209 yards and two touchdowns and the Rams defense sacked Vikings QB Sam Darnold nine times, tying an NFL playoff record. They also forced two turnovers.
Rams WR Puka Nacua caught a 27-yard pass from Stafford on the game’s very first play. The completion was part of a successful streak in which Stafford completed his first 10 passes as the Rams raced out to a 10-0 lead.
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Darnold was stripped sacked by Rams CB Ahkello Witherspoon midway through the second quarter, the loose football was picked up by Rams OLB Jared Verse and he rumbled to the end zone for the scoop and score to give Los Angeles a 17-3 advantage.
The Rams’ first half onslaught continued with under two minutes in the second quarter when Minnesota turned the ball over on downs. Stafford then proceeded to guide the Rams in the end zone in five plays as he capped off the drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Davis Allen.
The Rams went into halftime up 24-3. Los Angeles’ defense sacked Darnold six times and produced two takeaways in the first half.
Los Angeles’ defense forced the Vikings to punt on their opening drive of the second half. The Rams went on an 11-play series that ended in a successful 44-yard field goal by K Joshua Karty to extend their lead to 27-3.
The Vikings, facing an insurmountable deficit, were just trying to play catch up the rest of the way. Minnesota fans exited the stadium in the fourth quarter.
The Rams victory earns them a trip to Philadelphia for the divisional round of the playoffs where they will take on the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.
The final game of the wild-card round was held in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale following the NFL’s decision last Thursday to relocate the playoff game from SoFi Stadium to State Farm Stadium in the interest of public safety after wildfires wreaked havoc on the Los Angeles area. Monday’s contest was only the second playoff game in NFL history to be relocated and the league’s first postseason game to move because of natural disaster.
The atmosphere inside State Farm Stadium had a Los Angeles-feel. The Rams provided free charter bus roundtrip transportation for 1,500 season ticket holders to Glendale. Rams fans tailgated in the stadium’s parking lot, Rams players, coaches and staff wore custom Los Angeles Fire Department shirts and hats with the Los Angeles Rams monogram on them, a “Thank You Firefighters and First Responders” banner hung near the south end zone and “LA Together” in royal blue wrapped around the stadium’s lower bowl.
The entire Rams organization will head back to Los Angeles with heavy hearts from the wildfires, but they were triumphant in the NFC wild-card round and are moving on to Philadelphia.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.
