The divisional round of the NFL postseason is nearly complete with the Houston Texans, the Baltimore Ravens, the Buffalo Bills, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Commanders all advancing. The only thing that remains is the winner of Monday night's matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and the Minnesota Vikings in Glendale, Arizona.
The game, which was moved outside Phoenix because of the Los Angeles-area wildfires, features two veteran quarterbacks in Matthew stafford and sam Darnold with elite defenses behind them: Los Angeles has the best defense in terms of points allowed per game (18.5), while Minnesota is fifth at 19.5 points per game.
Who will come out on top for the right to face Philadelphia? stay with NBC News all night for the latest from state Farm stadium.
Vikings vs. Rams
Date: January 13
Time: 8 p.m. ET
How to watch: EsPN or stream on EsPN+
The future of sam Darnold
By all accounts, Vikings quarterback sam Darnold is having a career year. He ranks among the league's top 10 QBs in yards passing, passer rating and winning percentage. The question, however, is whether Minnesota chooses to bring him back next season.
Darnold said the answer could be determined in his performance tonight against the Rams.
“This is the time,” Darnold told media earlier this week, "when people -- whether guys are in the league for a long time, whether they’ve been with the same team for a long time, whether they’re bouncing around the league -- it’s kind of where legacies I guess are made. In the playoffs. Not just winning games, but winning those later games."
Vikings have arrived
Expect a big night from sam Darnold
Yes, Darnold is coming off his worst performance of the season, particularly in the red zone. And yes, the Rams have beaten the Vikings already once this season. But Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell is one of football’s most creative offensive minds, and now he is going against a Rams defense that ranks below the league average in how often it gets sacks, and also ranks 23rd this season in opponent passer rating. Detroit’s aggressive pass rush clearly bothered Darnold in the regular-season finale, but if the Vikings can give him time, he can be effective. Among playoff teams, only Tampa Bay’s defense has allowed a higher average passer rating.
Why Vikings should be worried
The Vikings were nearly the NFC’s No. 1 seed, but this is a team that lived off one-score victories all year. You have to be good to do that, of course, but there’s an element of luck involved. Also-rans Arizona and seattle almost beat Minnesota in December. This was a consistent team over the course of the regular season, but it was never as dominant as its gaudy record indicated.
Rams help bus fans to Arizona
After the game was moved from L.A. to Arizona due to the wildlife fires, Rams ownership secured 15 buses with 750 spots to help bus fans down to the new stadium.
Here they are a few hours before game time:
A rematch of Week 8
The Rams defeated the Vikings 30-20 at soFi stadium in Week 8. Los Angeles QB Matthew stafford threw four touchdown passes that day.
The last time these two franchises met in the postseason was Jan. 16, 2000, a 49-37 win by the st. Lous Rams. Kurt Warner threw five touchdown passes and four future Hall of Famers — Isaac Bruce, Marshall Faulk, Cris Carter and Randy Moss — each recorded at least 100 scrimmage yards and a touchdown.
The Vikings are on upset alert
The Vikings are very slight favorites against the Rams, and I think Minnesota — despite its 14-3 record — is a team I’m definitely nervous about. First off, Los Angeles already beat the Vikings once at home this season, winning 30-20 in Week 7, a game in which Matthew stafford threw for four touchdowns. And thanks to the NFL’s love of division winners, Minnesota is back on the road to start the playoffs.
simply put, I’m nervous for sam Darnold in his first ever postseason action, especially coming off a dispiriting outing against the Lions in the Vikings’ season finale. And though defensive coordinator Brian Flores can concoct a great game plan, there’s nothing stafford hasn’t seen.