REPORT: Do the Rams Deserve to be Underdogs in Wild Card?

The Los Angeles Rams enter Wild Card weekend as the underdogs, even though they are at home. Can they prove their doubters wrong?

Oct 24, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) runs the ball from Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jacob Hummel (35) during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Rams won five of their last six regular season games but still enter their home matchup against the Minnesota Vikings as the underdog. The Rams rested multiple starters in their regular-season finale against the Seattle Seahawks but still nearly won.

The Vikings are coming off arguably their worst performance of the season in their most significant game. Instead of hosting a home playoff game as the top seed in the conference, the Vikings travel to Los Angeles for the second time this season to face the Rams.

The first time the two teams faced each other, the Rams left victorious. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for four touchdowns and nearly 300 yards.

Still, many do not believe the Rams will have enough to beat a Vikings team determined to perform better than they did last week against the Detroit Lions and their performance against the Rams the last time the two teams faced each other.

Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News recently released his predictions for each playoff game this weekend. Iyer is not confident the Rams will beat a Vikings team that has proven to be one of the best teams in the National Football League.

Iyer believes the Vikings will squeak by the Rams by a field goal, despite how well the Rams played over the final two months of the season. The Vikings have undoubtedly played solid football this season, as veteran quarterback Sam Darnold has played the best football of his career.

Iyer noted that the Rams' offense has struggled, but their defense has excelled throughout the second half of the season, which could be a problem against the defense of the Brian Flores-led Vikings defense.

“The Vikings lost to only two teams this season, the Lions (twice) and Rams,” Iyer said. “Before falling in Week 18 in Detroit, they lost back-to-back to Detroit and Los Angeles in Weeks 7 and 8. The Vikings just struggled playing all-out with Sam Darnold, while the Rams still looked good, resting Matthew Stafford and other starters. That said, the Rams' offense is a bigger issue than their defense in the second matchup, and this surprise low-scoring game will go to the savvier group in the rematch.”

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