Rams road trip provides early test of Minnesota's mettle
The Rams host the Vikings, live on Sky Sports Action and Main Event from 12.30am on Friday morning
Thursday 27 September 2018 23:48, UK
Let's rewind a little.
The Los Angeles Rams, under first-year head coach sensation Sean McVay, are 7-2 and coming off a four-game winning streak in which they have scored 144 points and conceded just 41. The Minnesota Vikings, meanwhile, have a five-game winning streak of their own and a matching 7-2 record.
Last year's Week 11 match-up between the Rams and the Vikings had a true 'playoff feel' to it and, on that occasion, the Vikings came out on top. Behind a stifling defensive performance, they held Todd Gurley to 37 rushing yards - a season low - and the Rams to just seven points, another season low, in a 24-7 victory.
The Rams led the league on third-down conversion rate heading into the game (46.7%) but converted just three of 11 attempts in the contest. On the other side of the ball, Minnesota put up 288 yards of offense in the second half as LA's defense couldn't stop Case Keenum and Latavius Murray. Minnesota had McVay's number.
Now, in Week Four of the 2018 season, we have a mouth-watering rematch...
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The 3-0 Rams have picked up where they left off last year. With another win and dominant performance against the Chargers last Sunday, they asserted themselves not only in Los Angeles but the NFC as a whole. After Week Three, they are the only undefeated team in the conference.
In their three games so far, LA have scored 33, 34, and 35 points, respectively and while the Chargers managed 23 points against them, they held the Oakland Raiders to only 13 on opening week and shut out the Arizona Cardinals in Week Two. It's safe to say that along with the 3-0 Kansas City Chiefs, they look like early Super Bowl favourites.
For Minnesota, as their 1-1-1 record suggests, 2018 hasn't been as smooth sailing. They beat the San Francisco 49ers in Week One, as expected, and stole a tie with the Green Bay Packers in Week Two, but Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills shocked the Vikings - and the NFL - by heading to U.S. Bank stadium and demolishing the hosts 27-6 last weekend.
One team in form. One team that hasn't found it yet. There should be a clear winner, but that's not the way it works in the NFL. So, if the Vikings can topple the Rams, how will they do it?
Kirk Cousins handling the pressure
Both literally and figuratively.
The expectations for Cousins on his arrival to Minnesota as a free agent this offseason couldn't have been higher. Last year, the team made the NFC Championship game. It is Cousins' job to take them all the way. No easy task, and he's got off to a mixed start.
As well as the weight of expectation, Cousins must prove he can handle the pressure from defensive lineman, and linebackers and defensive backs, or whoever the Rams bring. In the defeat to Buffalo, he did not. With 10 minutes left in the game and down 27-0, he had just 120 passing yards along with an interception and two lost fumbles - before he padded out the stat sheet in garbage time.
It's not just Cousins. The offensive line was porous, giving up four sacks and a ton of QB hits - but good quarterback play helps a line, and vice versa. The Rams will bring the pressure with a slightly (nay, extremely) scary line of Michael Brockers, Ndamukong Suh, and Aaron Donald.
If we see the Cousins who led his team to 22 points in the fourth quarter in Green Bay, the Vikings have a chance. If it's a repeat of last week, the Rams will continue their hot start.
Where's the defense?
Last season, Minnesota had the No 1 ranked defense in the regular season. They allowed the fewest total yards and points, and were ranked second against the pass and the run. This year, so far, they have been in the middle of the pack.
Against Buffalo, there were blown assignments all over the place. When rookie QB Josh Allen found tight end Jason Croom for a 26-yard touchdown, there were no Vikings defenders within five yards of him and when Chris Ivory had a 55-yard catch-and-run, there weren't even any defenders to be seen on camera, causing commentator Tony Romo to scream "nobody there!" as Ivory rumbled down to the goal line.
In the season opener, three different 49ers players had catches of over 35 yards. In Week Two, despite earning the tie in Green Bay, 29 points is a lot to give up compared to their 15.8 average last season. Something isn't quite right.
But, again, last season, Mike Zimmer got the better of McVay in the battle of the coaches and this team still has enough play-makers on defense - Danielle Hunter, Eric Kendricks, Harrison Smith, Xavier Rhodes, and many more - that if it comes together, they could be dominant.
A must-win game
Even at this early point in the season, the stakes are high. It's the final game of the first quarter of the season, and how teams come out of the four-game stretch will affect their year. Start with three of four wins, and playoff chances are high. A 2-2 record - or in this case 1-2-1 - would be less than ideal for a team in a tough division.
Having just one win in the first four games leaves a team the task of having to win eight or nine of their last 12 games to reach the postseason - difficult for even the best of squads.
The Packers can simply never be ruled out of the NFC North race with Aaron Rodgers at the helm, while the current leaders, Chicago, have struck gold with the acquisition of linebacker Khalil Mack - via a trade with Oakland - and are immediately challenging Minnesota for the best defense in the division. Even the Detroit Lions just beat the New England Patriots to earn a surprise first win of the season and keep themselves in the hunt.
This is arguably a must-win game already for the Vikings.
On the other side, the Rams beat two of the league's worst squads to start the season - Arizona and Oakland. The Chargers presented a challenge in Week Three, but couldn't keep the pressure on all game. This Thursday will be a true test for LA, just as it will be an early test of Cousins' mettle coming up against them.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to playoff football - in Week Four!
Watch the Minnesota Vikings @ Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football, live on Sky Sports Action and Main Event from 12.30am on Friday morning.
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