Well, let's go: Vikings v Rams

[purplefaithful]

More prepared for Rams' game-changer


Flores was candid Tuesday that the return of Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua for the Oct. 24 game between the teams caught him and his defense off-guard.

Nacua missed five games with a sprained PCL suffered in Week 1. He’d just made his practice return from injured reserve two days before catching seven passes for 106 yards in the Rams’ 30-20 win against the Vikings.

“Quite honestly, we were a little bit surprised that he was out there,” Flores said. “We found out, let’s call it, four hours before a game. ... 

There was a little bit of scrambling.”

Flores said there’s little a team can do in that situation. They were somewhat familiar with Nacua from his 2023 tape but had virtually nothing on him from the current season.

This time, his defense will be better prepared. Nacua has appeared in every game since for the Rams — save last weekend, when they rested their starters against the Seahawks — and has 79 receptions for 990 yards and three touchdowns.

“They’re a very different team with Puka out there. Very different,” Flores said. “He brings an element in both the run and the pass game. 

That’s why he’s the player that he is. He opens things up for other players. Cooper Kupp is No. 1, certainly, but it’s really two No. 1s you’re dealing with.”

Startribune

[purplefaithful]

NFL watching Los Angeles wildfires with Vikings playoff game vs. Rams approaching on Monday night

The NFL has postponed, delayed or relocated games in the past because of natural disasters or severe weather, but the Rams’ stadium and practice facility are unaffected so far from the wildfires that are devastating the area.


The NFL is monitoring the conditions in the Los Angeles area as several wildfires burn out of control ahead of the Vikings’ wild-card playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night..

“The NFL continues to closely monitor developments in the area and will remain in contact with both clubs and the NFLPA.” Brian McCarthy, NFL vice president of communications, said in a statement Wednesday.

SoFi Stadium in Inglewood is about 15 miles southeast of the biggest fire in Pacific Palisades, and it has a roof, which is open on three sides to allow “for a fantastic ocean breeze to flow through the seating bowl,” according to HKS, the architecture firm that designed the building. Concerns over air quality and the allocation of public safety resources could factor into the league’s decision-making.

More than 1.5 million customers are without power as of Wednesday afternoon, and water shortages and high winds are hampering efforts to contain the fires.

The NFL has postponed or delayed playoff games for weather-related reasons in the past, including last season, when a wild-card game between the Steelers and the Bills in Buffalo was moved from Sunday to Monday afternoon because of a snowstorm. In January 2017, a divisional-round game between the Chiefs and Steelers in Kansas City was delayed several hours because of an ice storm.

But the Vikings-Rams game is already in the latest slot on wild-card weekend: 7 p.m. Central time Monday night. A postponement would be detrimental to the winning team, which has to play again the following weekend.

Regular-season NFL games have been relocated because of natural disasters or severe weather. The Vikings know this well, after having to move December games in 2010 when the Metrodome roof collapsed after a snowstorm. Air quality concerns from wildfires in Northern California imperiled the 49ers’ opener for the 2020 season at Levi’s Stadium.

The Rams said their headquarters in Woodland Hills, about 13 miles north of Pacific Palisades, has not been affected, and no players or staff members had been evacuated. Like the Vikings, the Rams did not practice Wednesday and resume practicing Thursday.

The Los Angeles Chargers, who play a road game in Houston on Saturday afternoon, practice well south of Pacific Palisades in El Segundo and limited their players’ time outdoors Wednesday.

The NHL postponed the Los Angeles Kings’ home game Wednesday in their downtown arena against the Calgary Flames. The Lakers are scheduled to play the Hornets in the same arena on Thursday.

Startribune

---

We have family in LA, very worrisome and sad...Thoughts and prayers for now...

[StickierBuns]

Looks like its going to be Arizona if they do move it, which means lots of Viking's fans.

Going to be quite the thud heard round the Land of 10,000 Lakes if Minnesota shits the bed with this wildcard game. Hopefully, that's not the case. I expect the Rams to try and copy the success of Detroit in stifling the Viking's offense.

[purplefaithful]

Darnold played extremely well when the Vikings fell to 5-2 in that Thursday night road game at SoFi Stadium. He completed 72% of his passes with a 128.8 passer rating — one of his 13 games this season with a 100-plus rating — and no turnovers in a 30-20 loss.

The week b4 (vs Detroit) Sam completed 81.5% of his passes with a 103.5 passer rating

Matthew Stafford had one of his best games of the season, completing 73.5% with an 11.8-yard average, a 124.5 passer rating and four touchdowns.

Pro Football Focus accurately labeled it Gilmore’s second-worst game of the season in coverage. His 45.0 grade was lower than all but a 41.9 grade in the Week 17 win over the Packers.

Stafford targeted Gilmore eight times completing six for 98 yards and a 155.2 passer rating, according to PFF. The 98 yards allowed is a season-high for Gilmore.

---

Looks like its going to be Arizona if they do move it, which means lots of Viking's fans.
Going to be quite the thud heard round the Land of 10,000 Lakes if Minnesota shits the bed with this wildcard game. Hopefully, that's not the case. I expect the Rams to try and copy the success of Detroit in stifling the Viking's offense.

Last time the Vikings won two playoff games was 1987....

Why do I still root for this team again???


https://www.pro-football-reference.com/t...ayoffs.htm

[hogjowlsjohnny]

Looks like its going to be Arizona if they do move it, which means lots of Viking's fans.

Going to be quite the thud heard round the Land of 10,000 Lakes if Minnesota shits the bed with this wildcard game. Hopefully, that's not the case. I expect the Rams to try and copy the success of Detroit in stifling the Viking's offense.

For many Vikings fans, it felt like the season ended last Sunday at Detroit. The Rams matchup isn't the most favorable for the Vikes, but I think this game is a toss up. Gonna need far better execution from the O-line and Mr. Darnold than last week, and better execution and game plan from the defense than the last time they played the Rams.
No doubt in my mind they can make their way back to a third crack at Detroit but they have to get their minds right.