Vikings fans at Sofi awoke the sleeping giant and paid the price

Release the Kraken

The Vikings offense scored on that offensive drive, a touchdown pass from Darnold to TE Josh Oliver. And on the next possession, the Vikings would drive for their second touchdown of the game, this time culminating with a touchdown pass to seldom-used wide receiver Trent Sherfield Sr.

And all the while, Jared Verse's rage was heating up.

I'm pretty sure that visiting Minnesota Vikings fans did not want to enrage a Rams player, particularly a dangerous pass-rusher extraordinaire like Jared Verse. Disrespecting the Rams was their clear objective. The other goal was to rub insult and humiliation into the injury of starting safety Kamren Curl. But as the saying goes: "Play stupid games, win stupid prizes."

At the time the Vikings fans were boldly insulting the Rams, they felt pretty good about the game. Their offense looked unstoppable. Sam Darnold started the game with a perfect eight for eight completion rate. And he threw for two touchdowns in the first quarter.

Seasoned NFL fans understand the risks of motivating the opposing team. The last thing veteran fans want to do is turn an opponent's confusion, bewilderment, and despair into a much more actionable and motivating emotion - rage. But those fans, and that ill-timed choros of SKOL chants during the station break, did not yet learn that lesson.

After the first quarter, that was all about to change.