TV: ESPN – Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters (field reporter) National Radio: Westwood One – Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner
All-Time Series History Regular Season: MIN leads series, 22-17-2 (LAR won past 3) Postseason: MIN leads series, 5-2 (LAR won 2 of past 3)
The Last Time… Regular Season: 10/24/24: MIN 20 at LAR 30 Postseason: NFC-D 1/16/00: MIN 37 at STL 49
HEAD COACHES
Kevin O’Connell vs. Opp. (incl. postseason): 0-1 Reg. Season: 34-17 (.667) Postseason: 0-1 (.000)
Sean McVay vs. Opp. (incl. postseason): 3-1 Reg. Season: 80-52 (.606) Postseason: 7-4 (.636)
VIKINGS NOTES
Championships: 0 Playoff Record: 21-31 Last Postseason Game: NFC-WC 1/15/23: NYG 31 at MIN 24
• VIKINGS ranked tied-1st in takeaways (33), tied-4th in sacks (49) & 5th in scoring defense (19.5 points per game allowed) in 2024. • QB SAM DARNOLD became 1st starting QB ever to win 14 games in his 1st season with team. Ranked 5th in pass yards (career-high 4,319) & pass TDs (career-high 35) & 6th in rating (career-high 102.5) in 2024. Became 4th player ever with 12+ games (12) with 2+ TD passes & 100+ rating in single season. Can make 1st career playoff start. Passed for 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs & 128.8 rating in Week 8 meeting. • RB AARON JONES had 51 catches, 1,546 scrimmage yards (career-high 1,138 rush, 408 rec.) & 7 TDs (5 rush, 2 rec.) in 2024, his 3rd-career 1,500-yard season. Has 713 scrimmage yards (101.9 per game) & 8 TDs (7 rush, 1 rec.) in 7 career playoff games, incl. 100+ scrimmage yards in 4 of his past 5 postseason games. Had 95 scrimmage yards (58 rush, 37 rec.) in Week 8 meeting. • WR JUSTIN JEFFERSON ranked 2nd in rec. yards (1,533), 6th in catches (103) & tied6th in rec. TDs (10) in 2024 & became 5th player ever with 3 career seasons of 100+ catches & 1,500+ rec. yards. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. LAR with 8+ catches & 115+ rec. yards. Had 7 catches in his only career playoff game (2022 NFC-WC vs. NYG). • WR JORDAN ADDISON became the 3rd WR since 1990 (Odell Beckham Jr. & HOFer Randy Moss) with 10+ scrimmage TDs in each of 1st 2 seasons. • TE T.J. HOCKENSON had 10 catches for 129 yards in his only career playoff game (2022 NFC-WC vs. NYG). • LB BLAKE CASHMAN was only LB with 100+ tackles (career-high 111), 8+ TFL (8) & 8+ PD (career-high 8) in 2024. Had career-high 4.5 sacks this season. • LB ANDREW VAN GINKEL (career highs 11.5 sacks & 18 TFL) & LB JONATHAN GREENARD (12 sacks & career-high 18 TFL) each ranked tied-4th in NFL in TFL & became 1st pair of teammates since 2000 each with 11+ sacks & 18+ TFL in same season. • CB BYRON MURPHY ranked tied-3rd in NFL with career-high 6 INTs & led team with career-high 14 PD. Had 2 PD, INT & TFL in Week 8 meeting. • S JOSH METELLUS is 1 of 3 DBs with 100+ tackles & 5+ PD in each of past 2 seasons. • S HARRISON SMITH & S CAM BYNUM became 1st DB teammates since 2012 each with 85+ tackles, 10+ PD & 3+ INTs in same season.
RAMS NOTES
Championships: 4 [1945, 1951, 1999 (SB XXXIV), 2021 (SB LVI)] Playoff Record: 26-28 Last Postseason Game: NFC-WC 1/14/24: LAR 23 at DET 24
• RAMS won NFC West for 1st time since 2021 & made playoffs for 6th time in 8 seasons under HC Sean McVay, who previously led team to SB LVI win (2021 season) & SB LIII appearance (2018 season). • QB MATTHEW STAFFORD had 12th-career season with 3,500+ pass yards & 20+ TD passes in 2024. Has 2,463 pass yards (307.9 per game) & 18 TDs (15 pass, 3 rush) with 101.7 rating in 8 career postseason starts, most pass yards per game all-time by QB with 5+ career playoff starts. Has 2+ TD passes in each of his 5 playoff starts with LAR. Has 5,652 pass yards & 36 TD passes in 23 starts vs. Min. (most vs. any opponent), incl. 4 TD passes & 124.5 rating in Week 8 meeting. • RB KYREN WILLIAMS had career-highs in scrimmage yards (1,481), rush yards (1,299) & TDs (16) & became 3rd player since 2000 (Shaun Alexander & HOFer LaDainian Tomlinson) with 1,300+ scrimmage yards & 15+ TDs in 2 of his 1st 3 career seasons. Had 5 catches, 116 scrimmage yards (97 rush, 19 rec.) & TD catch in Week 8 meeting. • WR PUKA NACUA had 79 catches for 990 yards & 3 TDs in 11 games in 2024 & was 1 of 3 (Ja’Marr Chase & Justin Jefferson) to average 90+ rec. yards per game this season. Had 9 catches for 181 yards & TD in his only career playoff game (2023 WC at Det.), 3rd-most rec. yards ever by player in playoff debut. • WR COOPER KUPP has 652 rec. yards (93.1 per game) & 7 rec. TDs in 7 career playoff games, 3rd-most postseason rec. average among players with 5+ playoff games. Had 33 catches for 478 yards in 2021 postseason, most catches & 2nd-most rec. yards in single postseason all-time & was named SB LVI MVP. • DE BRADEN FISKE (10 TFL & rookie-high 8.5 sacks) & LB JARED VERSE (11 TFL & 4.5 sacks) became 3rd pair of rookie teammates since 2000 each with 10+ TFL. • DE KOBIE TURNER had 8 sacks & career-high 10 TFL this season. • LB BYRON YOUNG had 7.5 sacks & career-high 12 TFL in 2024. • LB CHRISTIAN ROZEBOOM led team with career-high 133 tackles in 2024. • LB OMAR SPEIGHTS led all rookies with 66 tackles between Weeks 8-18. • S KAM CURL had career-high 9 PD in 2024. • S KAMREN KINCHENS & S JAYLEN MCCOLLOUGH became 1st pair of rookie teammates in SB era each with 4+ INTs & INT-TD.
