The Minnesota Vikings will travel to Arizona to take on the Los Angeles Rams in their Wild Card matchup. The final Monday Night Football game of the year is upon us!
Head-to-Head Record – 27-19-2
Vikings Road Record vs the Rams – 11-15
Streak – L3
Most Points Scored – 45, Nov 19, 1972
Widest Margin of Victory – 28 (3x), Sep 7, 2014 (Most Recent)
Most Recent Matchup – Week 8 of this season, Rams 30 – Vikings 20
My 2024 Prediction Record: 13-4
2024 Vikes Views Poll Record: 14-3
The last time they played:
The Vikings went on the road on a short week after playing the Detroit Lions. Christian Darrisaw went down right before half. The Vikings faded in the 2nd half. The last meaningful play, Sam Darnold was tackled by his face mask for a safety.
Interesting Tidbits from the Vikings Weekly Release:
- The Vikings are 5-2 against the Rams in the postseason, securing victories in 1969 (Divisional Round), 1974 (NFC Championship), 1976 (NFC Championship), 1977 (Divisional Round) and 1988 (Wild Card Round). The 2024 matchup between the two teams in the Wild Card Round will be the first since the 1988 meeting, which the Vikings won 28-17.
- O’Connell led the Vikings to nine-straight wins from Weeks 9 -17, tied for the third-longest winning streak in franchise history. Minnesota has only had more consecutive victories in 1969 (12-straight wins) and 1975 (10).
- Minnesota was 9-1 in one-possession games in 2024, the second-best mark league wide trailing only the Kansas City Chiefs (11-0). O’Connell, who is 26-9 in one-possession games as a head coach, owns the second-best winning percentage (.743) in NFL history in one-score contests (minimum 25 games). Only Hall of Fame Head Coach Guy Chamberlin (.759, 22-7-7) boasts a better record. O’Connell recently passed John Madden (.732) for second place.
- The Vikings recorded a takeaway in every game this season, marking the most consecutive games with a takeaway in a single season in franchise history, and they are the only team in the NFL with a takeaway in every game this season.
- Minnesota recorded 14 wins during the 2024 regular season, the second-most wins in a single season in franchise history, trailing only the team’s 15 victories in 1998. The Vikings achieved the feat with an active roster that includes 14 defenders who are in their first season with the team in 2024, all of which have appeared in at least two games this season.
- Of those 14 new faces, two were selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, an additional pair were signed as undrafted rookies and 10 joined the Vikings as free agents. OLBs Jonathan Greenard (17 starts) and Andrew Van Ginkel (17), CB Stephon Gilmore (15), LB Blake Cashman (14) and DL Jerry Tillery (11), who all joined the Vikings through free agency, each started at least 11 games for Minnesota, making the Vikings one of only two teams (Houston) in the NFL with at least five defensive players with 11+ starts in their first season with a team in 2024 (excluding rookies).
- Minnesota scored at least 20 points in 15 of their games this season, tied for the second-most games with 20+ points league wide, trailing Detroit and Tampa Bay (16 games). It marked the most games with 20+ points in a season since 1998 (16).
- Three Vikings were named to All Pro teams. Justin Jefferson (1st Team, unanimous), Andrew Van Ginkel (2nd Team), and Andrew DePaola (1st Team).
How I See it Playing Out
The Vikings are a better team than the Rams. They just are. They went on a short week and lost a top 3 LT just before half. It by no means is a reflection of these two teams at full strength. That being said, the Rams are no joke. Matthew Stafford is still more than capable of putting up big numbers. I don’t think that is going to happen. The Vikings defense will be ready to go. If Sam Darnold bounces back at all, this will be a win.
Vikings 27 – Rams 23
