The Los Angeles Rams will play the NFC North Minnesota Vikings in the opening round of the NFL Playoffs at State Farm Stadium on Monday Night.
The Rams finished off the season with a 10-7 record, while the Vikings come into the matchup with a 14-3 record. Both teams have had great seasons, and they played each other back in Week 8 of the season, with the Rams coming out on top. The Rams also head into this game as one of the hottest teams in the league.
The Rams made a playoff run in the second half of the season thanks to their young defense coming alive and playing good football. Down the stretch, the defense was one of the best in the league.
In their Week 8 win over the Vikings, it was the first time the rest of the league saw the young pass rush of the Rams make a splash.
"And didn't kind of put Jared Verse on the map, it did," said former Rams player D'Marco Farr on Between the Horns. "We all knew but I mean that really solidify this guy may be rookie of the year, this guy might be a Pro Bowler because he and Byron Young took that game over. And that is something else that kind of happens after that. It was the rise of Braden Fiske. Before that game, one sack, after that game, seven and a half sacks. So, they found something in them and him, and it just changed a lot. That was a big victory over the Vikings."
The pass rush of the Rams will look to get to Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold again in the playoff matchup. We saw in Week 18 how Darnold could not seem to handle the pressure well against the Detroit Lions.
The Rams have done a great job on defense containing the opposing quarterback. Now, they will have to same but this time in the playoffs.
In the rematch, it is going to start up front for both teams. Which team handles the pass rush better, will be in good shape to win the football game. The Rams will look to make it two straight against the Vikings on Monday Night Football.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/rams/ as How the Rams Young Defense Took Off After First Meeting Against the Vikings.