The Los Angeles Rams have a date with the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, and while this is not the first time these two teams have met on the season, it could be different this time around.
The young Rams defense had success against the Vikings earlier this season, but can they run it back under the brighter lights?
Back in Week 8, the Rams defeated the Vikings by the score of 30-20 in what would help them get one game closer to their .500 mark. In the game against the Vikings, the Rams' defense totaled 54 tackles, 33 solo tackles, three sacks, four tackles for loss and six quarterback hits.
Of the 54 total tackles, second-year defensive tackle Kobie Turner led the team with six tackles, three of which were solos, and had one of the Rams tackles for loss. On the back of Turner and Christian Rozeboom, who also totaled six tackles, the Rams' defense kept the team in the game.
For the younger Rams, they too had a strong performance in their first meeting with the Vikings. Jared Verse had three tackles, one solo tackle, 1.5 sacks, one tackle for loss and three quarterback hits. The development of Verse in Week 8 was strong, and the impact he had on the game vs the Vikings only set the tone for the remainder of his rookie season.
Second-year linebacker Byron Young also joined the party against Minnesota, as he had two tackles, one solo tackle, one sack, one sack for loss, and one quarterback hit. Minnesota quarterback Sam Darnold knows all too well how the Rams' defense operates given the Rams were all over him when they took over on defense.
Though the Rams were victorious against the Vikings in Week 8, Minnesota would go on a nine-game winning streak after their loss to the Rams, erasing all negatives that stayed with them. For Minnesota, their attitude and aggressiveness against the Rams in the Wild Card game could be on the agenda given they were unable to take down LA in the regular season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/rams/ as Can Young Rams Defense Duplicate Success Against Wild Card Opponent?.