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

It was a thrilling Thursday Night Football game, as the LA Rams (3-4) hosted and defeated the visiting Minnesota VIkings (5-2). There were heroics, lead changes, and plenty of highlight reel performances to satiate the ravenous Rams fans, starving for another win. But there were plenty of mistakes made too. Perhaps the greatest mistake was made by visiting Vikings fans.

There is a certain level of social protocol that used to be common sense, but is no longer. Whether that decline is attributable to the anything-goes format of social media, or simply persons too preoccupied in themselves that they ignore decency and respect, I'm not sure. But what I do know is that when a football player falls to injury, fans should never celebrate.

It only required 2:10 for the Vikings fans to cross the line. And rookie outside linebacker Jared Verse, affectionately nicknamed V8, noticed.

It was the Minnesota VIkings first offensive possession, a perfectly executed display of chemistry between Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold and wide receiver Justin Jefferson. It was after a completion to Jefferson, a long completion that took the Vikings from the Rams 42-yard line to the 25-yard line that standout Rams defensive back Kamren Curl was injured. As is the tradition, early injuries send the broadcast to a commercial break as trainers rush out to attend to the injured player.

And some inconsiderate and foolish visiting Vikings fans thought that would be an opportune time to celebrate the Rams injury by putting on their patented Vikings SKOL clap as Curl lay helpless on the field.

When rookie outside linebacker Jared Verse looked up and witnessed the disrespect, he began to smolder. It was bad enough that they were chanting their SKOL nonsense in SoFi stadium, but to do so over a fallen comrade and teammate? The Vikings fans, amused by their audacity and bleacher-infused bravado did not realize it at the time, but they were about to . . .

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.

Karma, your name is Jared Verse

The Rams defense surrendered 14 point in the first quarter of the game, and by all rights it appeared that they were a beaten team. And yet, Verse was not having any of that. By the time the second quarter of the game arrived, the Rams offense had driven for another touchdown to tie the game. Injured defensive back Kamren Curl had returned to the game.

But Jared Verse was about to get started.

On a clear passing down set up by penalties and incompletions, the Rams defense pinned its ears back and went after Darnold with complete abandon. The first defender to get to him? Jared Verse. And you can bet that his sack celebration had a special message to all of the SKOL-chanting Vikings fans in the seats at SoFi Stadium:

And Verse was not done. With time running out, and the Vikings only trailing by a touchdown and a two-point convers, their offense took over at their 30-yard line with all three time outs and 6:17 remaining on the game clock. But after a 25-yard completion to Josh Oliver, and a two-yard run by Vikings RB Aaron Jones, Darnold dropped back to pass.

But both Michael Hoecht and Jared Verse were on him like heat-seeking missiles, dropping the veteran quarterback for a sack and a loss of 13 yards on the play. That forced the Minnesota Vikings to punt at fourth down and 21 yards to go. And that was all she wrote.

The Rams defense was not done. Oh no, not yet. The Rams were forced to punt the ball back to the Vikings. Still down just eight points, and operating on their own five-yard line, Darnold dropped back to pass. This time, he was hunted down by OLB Byron Young, who dropped Darnold for a sack in the Vikings endzone. That became the first safety scored by the Rams defense this season.

After allowing two touchdown drives in the first quarter, the Rams defense became mighty stingy mighty quickly. They allowed just six points by the Vikings offense the rest of the game, and three of those points came after a Matthew Stafford interception.

And the Rams defense scored two points in the game as well.

Common courtesy is simply common sense. If any NFL fans find themselves as the topic of a next-day article about motivating their opponent to win, they not only failed to show respect, they've failed their team.

When the Vikings fans had their say, their team went up on the scoreboard to an early seven-point lead. But by the time OLB Jared Verse had his final say, the scoreboard told a different tale

TNF Final Score

Minnesota Vikings 20
Los Angeles Rams 30

As always, thanks for reading.

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