Rams beat Vikings 27-9 in wild-card playoff game moved to Arizona because of Los Angeles wildfires

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Sam Darnold tried to get in the pocket to find a receiver, but there was nowhere to go. The blue and yellow wall that was the Los Angeles Rams defense closed too quickly.

Akhello Witherspoon got there first, throwing the Minnesota quarterback to the ground as the ball came loose. Jared Verse scooped it up and the Rams faithful roared their approval in their adopted location of State Farm Stadium as the rookie ran untouched for a 57-yard touchdown.

Los Angeles quarterback Matthew Stafford was there with them.

“Our defense,” he said, “went crazy. »

Los Angeles – the football team, but above all the city – had a difficult week as wildfires decimated large parts of the metropolitan area. The Rams channeled all that heartbreak and uncertainty into a dominant defensive performance, sacking Darnold an NFL playoff record nine times to win 27-9 Monday night in an NFC wild-card game that was moved from southern California to Arizona.

Stafford threw two touchdown passes and the Rams (11-7) looked comfortable from the first snap. LA scored a touchdown on the first drive and took a 10-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

“I thought they embodied and represented the city the right way,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “You talk about sports providing a platform for people to come together and provide a little temporary relief — I thought the way our team competed tonight was what that looked like.”

THE the game was moved to suburban Phoenixnearly 400 miles east of the Rams’ home in Inglewood, Calif., in part because public safety resources were needed to fight wildfires. Los Angeles’ next game is Sunday on the East Coast against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Verse’s touchdown run with 4:35 left in the second quarter gave the Rams a 17-3 lead. The 6-foot-4, 260-pound linebacker made a somersault into the end zone late in the game that changed the game.

“I was going to dunk on the basket post, but I was too tired,” Verse said with a laugh.

The fumble return sent Rams fans into a frenzy — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said some 45,000 of them had traveled from California for the game, and the stadium had 63 400 places seemed full.

It was the low point of a brutal first half for Darnold, who was making his first NFL playoff appearance. He was sacked five times before the break and threw an interception when Cobie Durant caught a pass intended for Jordan Addison.

Minnesota (14-4) had a chance to clinch first place in the NFC in the final game of the regular season, but Darnold struggled in a loss at Detroit. His poor finish raises questions about his long-term future with the Vikings after playing this season on a one-year contract.

“You have to meet a certain level of play,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said. “And we didn’t.”

The Rams took a 24-3 lead when Stafford hit tight end Davis Allen for a 13-yard touchdown with 15 seconds left in the first half. Stafford finished with 209 passing yards and completed his first 10 passes, including all six on the opening touchdown.

“This time of year, being shy doesn’t really reward you,” Stafford said. “You have to go out there and make plays. I have to win games in the playoffs, not just hope things go as planned.

Joshua Karty’s 44-yard field goal made it 27-3 on the opening drive of the second half. Kobie Turner finished with two sacks for the Rams.

LA caught a break early in the second quarter when a potentially game-breaking fumble was negated by a replay. Stafford was pulled to the turf by Minnesota linebacker Jonathan Greenard when the quarterback pushed the ball forward just before he hits the ground.

Minnesota’s Blake Cashman caught the ball on the bounce and ran 26 yards to the end zone. Officials called it a fumble on the field, but it was ruled an incomplete pass after a replay.

“It hurts to be reminded,” Cashman said. “But that was early in the game. We have to keep working, play through the tough times and find a way to put ourselves in a position to win.

The Vikings never threatened again.

Darnold completed 25 of 40 passes for 245 yards, but lost 82 yards on the nine sacks. The Vikings passed for 269 total yards and many of them came when the game was already out of control.

“They were just better than us today,” Darnold said. “I left a few shots that I could be better at, especially early in the game. … Too many mistakes.”

Los Angeles learned Thursday that its playoff game will be played in Glendale, home of its division rival, the Arizona Cardinals. The Rams traveled to Phoenix on Friday and practiced on Saturday at the Cardinals premises.

Injuries

Vikings: OL Brian O’Neill was evaluated for a concussion.

Rams: TE Tyler Higbee (chest) left in the first half and did not return. … Witherspoon (thigh) left in the third quarter.

To be continued

The Rams visit the Eagles in a matchup of defenses that dominated in the first round.

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