Matthew Stafford, Rams Hyped by NFL Followers as Tremendous Bowl Sleeper After Win vs. Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings have been the group with 14 wins that battled for the NFC’s No. 1 seed all season lengthy, however you’d by no means know from Monday’s playoff sport.

The Los Angeles Rams rolled to a 27-9 victory over Minnesota within the NFC Wild Card Spherical to arrange a date with the Philadelphia Eagles within the Divisional Spherical. Whereas the sport was moved to State Farm Stadium in Arizona due to the wildfires within the Los Angeles space, the Rams appeared proper at dwelling as they managed the competition from the opening possession.

Matthew Stafford went 19-of-27 for 209 yards, two touchdowns and nil interceptions, whereas the protection pressured two turnovers and tallied 9 sacks.

Minnesota by no means bought something going till it was too late as Sam Darnold went 25-of-40 for 245 yards, one landing and one interception. Los Angeles additionally held stars Justin Jefferson (5 catches for 58 yards) and Aaron Jones (48 dashing yards) in test and out of the top zone in a powerful total efficiency.

The Rams could also be a wild-card group that now has to go on the highway, however social media was discussing their Tremendous Bowl prospects because the blowout unfolded:

It was clear from the beginning who was going to win, as Los Angeles wasted no time setting the tone whereas marching seven performs for 70 yards and a landing on the sport’s opening drive. Stafford discovered Kyren Williams for the rating and continued to choose aside the Minnesota secondary as his group constructed a 10-0 lead within the opening quarter.

It was the protection’s flip from there, as Cobie Durant picked off Darnold earlier than Ahkello Witherspoon’s sack on the following Minnesota possession knocked the ball unfastened for Jared Verse to scoop up and return 57 yards for a landing.

Los Angeles sacked Darnold six occasions within the first half with one approaching a fourth-down try. It was in full management of the road of scrimmage towards a Vikings group that appeared nothing just like the one which gained 14 video games within the common season.

The fourth-down sack arrange one other landing cross from Darnold to Davis Allen because the Rams took a commanding 24-3 halftime lead.

The second half was largely a formality, though Darnold gave the Vikings an opportunity with a third-quarter landing cross to T.J. Hockenson. Los Angeles’ strain additionally did not get to the USC product throughout the third quarter prefer it did within the early going, and Minnesota began to construct some momentum.

Nonetheless, that momentum was short-lived because the defensive strain returned within the fourth and reduce brief a number of Vikings’ drives. Stafford and Co. did not need to do a lot because the Rams put the ending touches on the win.

It’d take a fair higher efficiency to advance towards the Eagles, however the NFC West group appeared like a contender Monday.