Minnesota Vikings Vs Los Angeles Rams Match Player Stats
After suffering an emotional setback to Detroit, Minnesota looked to rebound against Los Angeles – two of the best teams in the league.
Matthew Stafford and the Rams offense got an additional boost with Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua back healthy and playing an integral part in their first two drives.
| Player | Team | Position | Performance Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Darnold | Vikings | QB | Struggled under pressure; <200 passing yards, 2 INTs, 77 passer rating |
| Tyler Hockenson | Vikings | TE (Rookie) | 5 receptions, 97 yards, 1 TD — bright spot in offense |
| Aaron Jones | Vikings | RB | 34-yard rushing TD in the first quarter |
| Ahkello Witherspoon | Rams | CB | Forced key turnover that led to a scoop-and-score TD |
| Jared Verse | Rams | EDGE | Recovered fumble for a TD, helped shift momentum |
| Puka Nacua | Rams | WR | 4 receptions, 64 yards, 1 TD — dynamic in first half |
| Cooper Kupp | Rams | WR | 2 TDs in first half — including one off a brilliant juke move |
| Matthew Stafford | Rams | QB | Efficient passing, heavily targeted Kupp & Nacua |
| Brandin Cooks | Rams | WR | Part of explosive offense (no detailed stats provided) |
| Robert Woods | Rams | WR | Not featured prominently; consistent red-zone target |
| Jared Goff | N/A (historical) | QB | Mentioned in context; now with Lions, not part of this matchup |
Sam Darnold
Once they won their last two regular season games, the Vikings were expected to make an impressive playoff run. Instead, they faltered in the NFC Wild Card round and were quickly eliminated by an inspired Rams team which produced two scoring drives before halftime; one which produced an emphatic opening scoring drive before quickly moving quickly on short field play to score another touchdown to take control 24-3 at halftime.
Vikings didn’t have an answer for Rams’ pass rush like many of their opponents this season, allowing Sam Darnold to get into early trouble by chasing after him and forcing hurried throws and turnovers. One such turnover, caused by Ahkello Witherspoon was scooped up and returned for a touchdown by Jared Verse who scored on it and left Minnesota reeling after scoring his own score that changed an close contest into an instantaneous blowout within one quarter and left them reeling for decades after that one.
Minnesota’s defense played well during the second and third quarters, yet could not prevent the Rams from running away with the game. Minnesota had chances to score in the fourth quarter; however, its offense never got going. One positive for Minnesota was rookie tight end Tyler Hockenson catching five passes for 97 yards and scoring once.
Sam Darnold struggled in their loss to the Rams as he struggled to connect with his receivers. He only managed to throw for less than 200 yards and was intercepted twice; his passer rating of 77 was his lowest of 2024. Unfortunately, this poor showing has diminished all the goodwill gained during a breakthrough 2024 campaign; therefore it will likely prove difficult for the Vikings to keep him beyond 2025 without spending large sums of money to retain him.
Nacua and Kupp together create an explosive Rams’ offense. Together they combined for 105 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, with Nacua getting most of his looks (four passes for 64 yards) while Kupp found two ways into the end zone – including an impressive juke which set up one score!
Jared Goff
Goff hails from California and was selected first overall in the 2016 NFL Draft by Los Angeles Rams. After four seasons there, he was traded to Detroit Lions in 2021 where he has quickly become a favorite player with winning record of 13 victories in just five years! JG16 clothing line offers exclusive designs as well as participation in charitable works around the city.
The Minnesota Vikings, with just one loss, are listed as 3-point favorites against the two-win Rams for Thursday Night Football. But this line seems unlikely given their defensive struggles and facing off against a team which has been playing so well lately.
Sam Darnold has been playing like an all-star, but in order to beat Minnesota he will need to improve his decision making and avoid turnovers this time around. Additionally, he must find his running game while increasing touchdown passes.
The Rams offense has shown renewed energy since Puka and Kupp returned to the field, as both have found an improved sense of trust within their teammates and should bode well for the rest of the season. Stafford should target both in the second half, giving each an opportunity to be the focal point in this playoff matchup.
In the opening quarter, Minnesota took an early advantage with an Aaron Jones 34-yard touchdown run and quickly increased their lead with another field goal before halftime. They led 14-7.
Goff had five 300-yard games and finished 2022 with 4,438 passing yards, and was named ESPN’s 15th Most Valuable Player of the Season. Additionally, his touchdown-interception ratio ranked among the league’s top-10 performers.
At his first playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021, he scored three touchdowns with only one interception thrown. Furthermore, in each season of playing for the Rams since 2021 he has earned one or more Pro Bowl honors.
Brandin Cooks
Los Angeles Rams have experienced an incredible season so far, led by their powerful offense and dynamic duo of quarterback Jared Goff and wide receiver Brandin Cooks. Together they have amassed 36 touchdowns so far while maintaining an NFL-leading passing percentage of 70.3% which ranks fifth overall – especially when their explosive running back Todd Gurley III or star safety Cory Littleton take to the field.
The Rams began the game with an emphatic first quarter scoring drive and continued their dominance through to halftime, leading 24-3. Meanwhile, Vikings defense struggled to contain Rams’ explosive offensive attack, leading to numerous turnovers that allowed more points for Rams than should have been scored.
Minnesota fell to 1-1-1 on the season and dropped their first home game since Week Two, without starting defensive lineman Everson Griffen who is dealing with personal issues.
Though their effort wasn’t successful, the Vikings showed some encouraging signs in the second half. Following a missed field goal by kicker Daniel Carlson, they rallied to take the lead with less than two minutes remaining in the game before cornerback Xavier Rhodes lost possession and 44-yard field goal kicker Jake Bates of Los Angeles sealed victory for Rams.
While their secondary struggled against Rams’ high-powered offense, their run defense remained strong and forced two turnovers. Meanwhile, their pass rush was exceptional with multiple players registering pressures; Sheldon Richardson proved especially impressive on defense with multiple sacks and several stops during run defense play.
Monday’s Rams-Vikings matchup was an action-packed contest that showcased impressive offensive plays and solid defensive effort from both teams. Key matchups between young Rams stars and their Vikings counterparts, such as their wide receiver corps. made this contest particularly thrilling.
Robert Woods
Robert Woods has been one of the Rams’ primary targets over his seven-year NFL career and averaged 683 receiving yards each season. Last season he posted his first 1,000-yard season and is set to make another impactful contribution this year as they face Minnesota Vikings who share top spot in NFC North with Green Bay Packers for best record in league play.
This game will be held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona and marks their fourth meeting since 1974; their last time meeting as Los Angeles-based teams until they relocated back for 2018. They last met at LA Memorial Coliseum for regular-season play back in 1995 when it marked one of three occasions when Minnesota lost to Los Angeles during regular-season road play.
Woods is an all-around receiver who can fill both roles within a passing game. He has proven himself useful this year despite only playing six games, boasting an excellent catch rate and being reliable red zone targets; yet, his touchdown production remains somewhat inconsistent.
Minnesota Vikings could present him with an ideal matchup given their porous defense and weakness against the run, making him an effective flex option but should not be considered an every week starter.
The Rams will look to rebound from their crushing defeat against Seattle Seahawks in Week 17. They must perform at their best against an impressive Vikings squad that has won its past two matches; additionally, their perfect record at home should continue on Monday Night.
Matthew Stafford may lack playoff experience, but he’s proven himself reliable when starting games at SoFi Stadium – going 3-0 for playoff games started here so far. Additionally, Matthew is excellent on third and fourth down plays; an important element for winning this game.