Final Rams injury report for Wild Card Round shows gambit paid off

Even as the off-field events have created major distractions for the LA Rams and Rams fans heading into the Wild Card Round of the 2025 NFL Playoffs, some things remain the same. A healthy Rams roster can make a huge difference for the team has they prepare to host the Minnesota Vikings. Ironically, the Rams have not enjoyed a robust healthy roster all season long.

While it's easy enough to rationalize every mishap, loss, and gaffe as springing from a torrent of injuries that pelted the team throughout the early going, I don't know that is truly a comprehensive cause and effect. What I do know is that the Rams were unable to adequately compensate for so many early-season injuries, and the 1-4 record before the BYE was a result of those struggles.

It would have been easy for the team to surrender and simply phone in the season, but that is not how the LA Rams roll under HC Sean McVay. Despite early adversity, he continued to chip away at the deep hole that the team found itself in, relentlessly shocking powerhouse teams along the way. One powerhouse that the Rams shocked was the Minnesota Vikings in Week 8. The LA Rams are one of only two teams to defeat the Vikings all season.

The other team was the Detroit Lions. The same Lions team demolished the Vikings in Week 18 to lay claim to the top seed in the NFC.

Now the Vikings must face the other team that defeated them.

Due to the wildfires burning in and around the Los Angeles, California area, the Rams home game will not be played at SoFi Stadium. For safety reasons, the game has been moved to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. While this creates a unique situation for the Rams, don't expect anything less than their full effort in this one.

Minnesota Vikings Injuries

OLB Patrick Jones - Knee - Out
RB Cam Akers - Illness - Questionable
DT Taki Taimani - Ankle - Questionable

Vikings Reserve Injured (IR)

CB Mekhi Blackmon
QB J.J. McCarthy
CB Najee Thompson
OT Christian Darrisaw
DL Taki Taimani (IR/Designated to Return)

Los Angeles Rams roster

Rams Reserve Injured (IR)

OL K.T. Leveston (IR/Designated to return)
RB Blake Corum
DB Derion Kendrick
OT Conor McDermott
DB Tre Tomlinson
DT Larrell Murchison
ILB Troy Reeder
OLB Nick Hampton

Rams Injuries

Here are the players listed in the Rams final injury report:

No players reported with injuries

When the two teams met in Week 8, the final injury report had an entirely different outlook. The Vikings did not face LG Steve Avila, WR Jordan Whittington, nor TE Tyler Higbee. The Rams did not face LB Blake Cashman or TE T.J. Hockenson. In that game, Rams veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford unloaded into the Vikings secondary, putting up 279 passing yards, four touchdowns, and just one interception. Despite a halftime score of 14 apiece, the Rams won the game by a score of 30-20, and controlled the time of possession with an advantage of 33:37 to 26:23.

The key to that game was the ability of the Rams defense to make the Vikings one-dimensional. The Rams stuffed the run effectively, giving the offense enough time to put up the lead. Then, the Rams pass rush found the range on Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold. And the Rams held the Vikings to just two of seven on third down conversions.

Can history repeat itself? Well, we know that both team will scrutinize what did and did not work from that first contest. But more importantly, the team that is the healthiest, ignores the off-field distractions, and creates turnovers best will win the game.

It appears that the Rams gambit of sitting starters in Week 18 truly did pay off.

We have many more topics to cover before kickoff. As always, thanks so much for reading.