The Vikings need Sam Darnold to regain his top form against the Rams. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty … [+]
The Minnesota Vikings cannot live in the past if they are going to survive and advance in the NFL playoffs. They had a chance to finish on top of the NFC and take the Wild Card weekend off, but they were handled with relative ease by a more determined and tougher Detroit Lions team in the regular-season finale.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell faces a major challenge in getting his team prepared to play the Los Angeles Rams, the team that prepared him to become a head coach. O’Connell is an incredibly positive leader and his specialty is working with his quarterback and getting him prepared to play his best game.
Sam Darnold went from NFL place holder quarterback to potential MVP vote getter in one season with O’Connell whispering in his ear. Darnold was brilliant through the majority of the season with a 35-12 TD to interception ratio but he struggled badly in the team’s Week 18 loss to the Lions. He has to assume his share of the blame, but a good chunk of it has to go to the offensive line.
That unit could not hold off an injured Detroit defensive front and was pummeled throughout the game. The Rams have a better – and healthier – defensive front than the Lions. The foursome of Jared Verse, Byron Young, Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske are capable of taking over the game and causing major issues for Darnold. Fiske had a team-leading 8.5 sacks and Young was right behind with 8.0. Verse had 66 tackles and was able to pressure the quarterback 76 times and closed the deal with 4.5 sacks.
The Vikings offensive line has to slow this unit down. During the regular season, the unit of right tackle Brian O’Neill, right guard Dalton Risner, center Garrett Bradbury, left guard Blake Brandel and left tackle Cam Robinson (in for Christian Darrisaw) played well throughout the majority of the season. But they were overwhelmed by a more determined and meaner Detroit defensive front.
A short memory is needed in this game against the Rams that has been moved because of the Los Angeles wildfires to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. SoFi Stadium is not an intimidating home field compared to Ford Field in Detroit or Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, but this move should work out in the Vikings’ favor.
They will be playing in a neutral site and Vikings fans are likely to travel well and gain a sizable portion of the tickets that are available to the public. It may turn out to be closer to a Vikings home game than it is a Rams home game.
Justin Jefferson is a game changer who should be able to put his imprint on the Wild Card game vs. … [+]
A good start would have the Vikings moving the ball well on their first possession and Darnold regaining his composure. That means getting the ball to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and tight end T.J. Hockenson. If the quarterback can get a clean pocket to survey the field, the Vikings should be able to dictate terms of the way this game plays out.
Aaron Jones should give the offense a lift as well. He certainly had a fine first season with the Vikings, running for 1,138 yards and 5 touchdowns while averaging 4.5 yards per carry. However, the running back may be able to give the Vikings much more as he dominated in the playoffs last year for the Green Bay Packers when he rushed for 118 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Dallas Cowboys and followed that with a 106-yard effort in the near-miss to the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional playoffs.
Defensively, the Vikings should be prepared for Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. While the Rams riddled the Vikings for 30 points in Week 8, that loss came just four days after Minnesota’s first loss to the Lions and linebacker Blake Cashman was not in the lineup. The Vikings have 8 days to prepare this time and Cashman – the team’s leading tackler with 112 stops – will be in the lineup.
O’Connell is facing a major test as he must have his team fully prepared after suffering a huge disappointment. He has passed the majority of his exams to this point, so there is little reason to doubt him at this point.
