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The Vikings head to LA as a -2.5 favorite vs. the Rams.
Sagarin has the number Minnesota -2.69, indicating this one is on the money.
The game has been moved to Arizona due to the horrific wildfires in and around the Los Angeles area.
Comparables
- Packers -3/2.5 Seahawks (Packers 3.09 On The Money) Balanced Action
- Bills -2.5 Jets (Bills 2.47 On The Money)
Vikings Player to Watch
Sam Darnold makes his NFL postseason debut as a starter after becoming the first QB to win 14 games in his first season with a team, earning his first Pro Bowl selection and surpassing his previous career highs in every key statistical category. The Orange County native and USC product who became the third overall pick in 2018 by the Jets was Brock Purdy’s backup last year on the 49ers’ NFC champion team. Last week against the Lions in a game that determined not only the NFC North title but the No. 1 seed in the conference, Darnold flopped with an 18-for-41 performance in which the Vikings failed to score a touchdown on four red zone possessions, including three trips inside the 10. Earlier this season against the Rams, Darnold’s 128.7 passer rating was his second best of his career after going 18 for 25 for 240 yards and two TDs without a turnover.
Rams Player to Watch
QB Matthew Stafford turned in one of his best performances of the season in the Week 8 win over the Vikings, throwing for 279 yards and four touchdowns to one interception. However, he wasn’t nearly as sharp down the stretch, going 47 for 78 for 459 yards, one touchdown and one interception in victories over San Francisco, the New York Jets and Arizona. Stafford didn’t throw for more than 189 yards in any of those games while getting bailed out by a tenacious defense which held all three opponents to single digits. After getting a week off in the regular-season finale versus the Seahawks, the Rams will hope Stafford can be back at his best to make another playoff run. He had 1,188 yards and 11 total touchdowns to three interceptions in four postseason games when Los Angeles won the Super Bowl after the 2021 season, saving his best for fourth-quarter drives.
Key Matchup
Vikings RB Aaron Jones vs. Rams defensive line. Jones never got on track when Minnesota visited SoFi Stadium in October, rushing for 58 yards on 19 carries. His longest gain was 9 yards. That ineffectiveness was one of the reasons the Vikings had to settle for two second-half field goals on drives inside the Rams 20. Los Angeles allowed 64 yards total on the ground, its second-best performance of the season. While OLB Byron Young, DT Kobie Turner and rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske receive praise for their pass rush skills, they also contributed 43 combined tackles for loss. If they can keep Jones under wraps again, it would give the defense a significant edge.
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