Rams seek to carry momentum into Thursday night showdown with Vikings
Minnesota (5-1) at Los Angeles Rams (2-4)
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT, Amazon Prime Video
BetMGM NFL odds: Vikings by 3.
Against the spread: Vikings 5-1; Rams 1-5.
Series record: Rams lead 28-17-2.
Last meeting: Rams beat Vikings 30-23 in Minneapolis on Dec. 26, 2021.
Last week: Vikings lost to Detroit 31-29; Rams beat Las Vegas 20-15.
Vikings offense: overall (13), rush (17), pass (14), scoring (6).
Vikings defense: overall (19), rush (2), pass (30), scoring (T-27).
Rams offense: overall (20), rush (26), pass (15), scoring (6).
Rams defense: overall (26), rush (30), pass (18), scoring (25).
Turnover differential: Vikings plus-4; Rams plus-1.
Vikings player to watch
Kicker Will Reichard. The rookie has not missed a kick yet, hitting three field goals last week including a 57-yarder. The sixth-round draft pick from Alabama is 18 for 18 on extra points and 12 for 12 on field goals this season.
Rams player to watch
S Jaylen McCollough. The rookie undrafted free agent has been sensational over the past two games, following up his pick-6 against Green Bay by intercepting Las Vegas QB Gardner Minshew twice. McCollough, a 24-year-old who played his college ball at Tennessee, is seeing a steady uptick in his snaps and that should continue going forward.
Key matchup
Rams head coach Sean McVay vs. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores. There won’t be many coaching chess matches in the NFL this season that are as intriguing as this one. Minnesota will throw a variety of blitzes and simulated pressures at quarterback Matthew Stafford, especially on second down, in an effort to get the offense behind the chains. McVay will counter with lots of motion, trying to get the Vikings to tip off their coverages. Both men will be trying to set up the other to land a tactical knockout blow in the critical moments.
Key injuries
Vikings LB Blake Cashman (toe) missed the previous game and won’t play on the short week. … Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson (knee) is nearing his season debut. He was listed as a limited participant in practice this week and is questionable to play. … Rams WR Cooper Kupp is on track to return after missing four games because of an ankle injury, giving a diminished passing game one of its best playmakers. … WR Puka Nacua (knee) returned to practice this week, but he is questionable to play Thursday. … LB Troy Reeder is out because of a hamstring injury, meaning the green dot responsibilities for calling defensive plays will go to another player.
Series notes
The Rams have won the past two meetings with the Vikings, including an entertaining 38-31 Thursday night shootout at the LA Memorial Coliseum in September 2018. … The Rams’ run to a Super Bowl title in the 1999 season included a 49-37 victory over the Vikings in an NFC divisional playoff game. … This is the first time the Vikings will play the Rams in SoFi Stadium. They beat the Chargers there in 2021.
Stats and stuff
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell was part of McVay’s Rams staff as offensive coordinator for two seasons in 2020-2021. … Vikings QB Sam Darnold, a native of Southern California who starred at USC, has had a 100-plus passer rating in five of six games to tie Josh Allen and Joe Burrow for the most such games in the NFL this season. … Vikings WR Justin Jefferson is fourth in the league in receiving yards, but his streak of four straight games under 100 yards is the longest of his career. … Vikings RB Aaron Jones is one of three players in the NFL with at least 400 rushing yards and 150 receiving yards, joining New Orleans’ Alvin Kamara and Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson. … The Vikings defense is second in the league in opponent scoring efficiency, with points allowed on 18 of 71 possessions (25.4%) to trail only the Chargers (23.6%). … McVay picked up his 79th win on Sunday, tying John Robinson for most in Rams’ history, counting regular season and playoff results. … RB Kyren Williams leads the NFL in scrimmage touchdowns since the start of the 2023 season. He has 24 scores in that span, including eight touchdown runs and one catch this season. … Williams has rushed for a touchdown in nine straight regular-season games, which is the second-longest streak by a Ram. Greg Bell did it 10 games in a row from Week 10 of the 1988 season through Week 3 of 1989. … Stafford (4,965) needs three completions to jump Dan Marino (4,967) for ninth most in NFL history. … McCollough is the Rams’ first undrafted free agent rookie to have interceptions in consecutive games since Don Burroughs in 1955. … CB Cobie Durant picked off a pass against the Raiders, his first since Dec. 25, 2022. He also forced a fumble when he brought down Minshew for his second career sack on a delayed blitz.
Fantasy tip
Kupp said Tuesday that if he’s healthy enough to play, he expects to handle a full workload, which is reason enough to include him in lineups this week. He definitely has more value in formats that reward receptions, having dominated targets in Week 1 after Nacua was injured.
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