It's win or go home time in the NFL. To wrap up the six games in this week's wild card round, the Vikings and Rams will face off for the second time this season on Monday night. The game was moved to the Cardinals' stadium in Arizona due to the wildfires in Los Angeles.
At 14-3, the Vikings have the best winning percentage for a wild card team in league history. Their only losses this season came against the Lions (twice) and this very Rams team they're getting ready to face. LA started out 1-4 but rattled off a 9-2 stretch after its bye week and won the NFC West at 10-7.
This should be a fun one. It's a big spot for Sam Darnold, who is making his first career playoff start. Kevin O'Connell, the ex-Rams coordinator, is seeking his first postseason victory. The Rams weren't as good as the Vikings this season, but Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay have won a Super Bowl together.
Minnesota comes in as 2.5-point favorites. Will they get the job done? Our staff writers have made their picks.
Will Ragatz: Vikings 34, Rams 20
Put simply, I think the Vikings are too good to lose to a fairly mediocre Rams team (-19 point differential) twice this season. Now, they very much could lose if Sam Darnold doesn't bounce back in a big way from his clunker in Detroit, but I expect he'll shake off that performance much like he shook off previous duds against the Jets and Jaguars. The Vikings can score plenty of points on this Rams defense if they hold up in pass protection. And while Stafford and company are dangerous, Brian Flores' group will step up with some key plays when it matters most.
