5 instant reactions from Rams wild Wild Card Round performance vs. Vikings

Did the LA Rams (11-7) deliver to your expectations? It's difficult to argue otherwise, as the Rams faced a Minnesota Vikings (14-4) that had ended the 2025 regular season with a 33-9 loss to the top-seeded Detroit Lions (15-2). Before the Wild Card Round of the 2025 NFL Playoffs, the only two teams to defeat the Minnesota Vikings this season were the Detroit Lions (2X) and the Los Angeles Rams.

By the end of the game, the Rams had defeated the Vikings twice this season as well.

There was a great deal of debate over the fact that the LA Rams entered the 2025 NFL Playoffs with one of the worst point differentials of seeded teams. Despite a record of 10 wins and seven losses, the team was the only team in the NFL with a winning record but a negative point differential. The Rams had a point differential of -19 at the conclusion of the regular season.

Cause for concern? Not exactly. You see, the Rams opportunistic defense buoyed a vital net turnover tally in the Rams favor, ending the season with a (+6) net turnover mark that is good enough to be tied for the 10th best team in the NFL

But that is only the tip of the iceberg. The Rams defense faced a Minnesota Vikings offense that averaged 25.4 points per game. The Rams offense only averaged 21.4 points per game, and even that low scoring average was buoyed by a defense that continued to be quite adept at scoring points.

(5) Rams defense exceeded lofty expectations

The LA Rams defense held the Minnesota Vikings to just 20 points in Week 8. To be perfectly honest, I was hopeful that the team could score 21+ points, and have the defense hold the Vikings to just 20 points once again. Well, the Rams defense overshot that mark.

By a large margin.

With defensive starters playing full snap counts, Chris Shula and the Rams defense has held 4 straight opponents to single-digits:

SF - 6
NYJ - 9
ARI - 9
MIN - 9
#LATogether
— J.B. Long (@JB_Long) January 14, 2025

I hesitate to raise my expectations, as that is the quickest way to be disappointed. After winning three games and five games in a row, the team has started winning once more. This time, the success is powered by the defense. The Rams starting defense has allowed just 33 points in the past four games, when starters have played.

Are the Rams onto something?

(5) Rams defense exceeded lofty expectations

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