Sean McVay won't get complacent after first win over Vikings, but Rams have reasons for confidence
The Minnesota Vikings aren't your typical wild card team. While the Los Angeles Rams will have a home-field advantage because they won the NFC West, the Vikings finished the regular season with an impressive 14-3 record and had a shot at the first seed until the final week. Yes, the Rams won their head-to-head matchup […]
The Minnesota Vikings aren't your typical wild card team. While the Los Angeles Rams will have a home-field advantage because they won the NFC West, the Vikings finished the regular season with an impressive 14-3 record and had a shot at the first seed until the final week.
Yes, the Rams won their head-to-head matchup in Week 8. But head coach Sean McVay knows what happened in a Thursday Night Football game two and a half months ago doesn't matter much.
"You have to look at what's recent," McVay said. "What are the things that they might be trying to do and what have we put on tape? It's a balance of different things. That's always the give and take, understanding that there is a game of inventory against one another. Even though it was a little bit earlier in the season, you have to be cognizant of that. You also have to see, 'Alright, how have they evolved and adapted as the season has gone on?'"
Much because of health among important starters, the Rams' offense is now much better than it was back then. Between Weeks 1 and 7, leading up to that game, the Rams had been 22nd in EPA/play. Since Week 8, they are 12th. On the other hand, the Vikings' defense slightly regressed, from first to sixth in EPA/play. Obviously, it's still a dangerous unit.
And being able to operate against a unique defensive scheme is the most impactful challenge of Monday's game. Minnesota allowed a positive EPA per pass play only three times this season, and it lost all these three games. Upfront, the offensive line has to play at a high level to give Matthew Stafford a shot.
"I thought even being able to push the ball down the field because our offensive line was holding up," McVay recalled. "Even if we didn't hit it, it ended up loosening things up."
There's a fair argument that the Rams should have played their starters in Week 18 against the Seattle Seahawks trying to secure the third seed and play the Washington Commanders instead of the Vikings. But that discussion is over. For now, Los Angeles has to put its best foot forward against a tough opponent to keep fighting for the second championship of this era of Rams football.
Rams make flurry of roster moves, get stronger at already stacked position heading into playoff game vs. Vikings
Gearing up for the wild-card round.
