After their recent loss to the Detroit Lions, the Minnesota Vikings head into the playoffs as a 14-win wild-card team. To say that the game against Detroit was a disappointment would be a major understatement, but Minnesota can't carry that poor performance into next week or their season will be over.
Minnesota faces off against the Los Angeles Rams on Monday in Arizona, a familiar opponent, as these teams played in Los Angeles back in Week 8.
Minnesota lost the first matchup with the Rams earlier this season, but the game was tight for all four quarters, which should give hope that they can change the script this time around. The Vikings need to learn from their past mistakes and right the ship, as it's win-or-go-home football now.
With that being said, what are some problems that Minnesota needs to fix before they start their playoff journey?
Problems the Minnesota Vikings need to fix before facing the Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs
1. Get the ball out quicker
Minnesota's offensive line was manhandled this past weekend against Detroit, and that is a major concern. The Lions have a handful of injuries throughout their defense, so the fact that they were able to create pressure consistently is not a good sign as the Vikings face off against a better Rams defensive line on Monday.
Los Angeles got to Minnesota quarterback Sam Darnold three times when they first played, showing that the Vikings' offensive line has already struggled against this Rams defense.
NBC's Cris Collinsworth pointed out multiple times this past Sunday night that Darnold likes to hold onto the ball in the pocket, and with how Minnesota's offensive line has played this season, that's just not going to work.
The Vikings' offense has well-designed plays, but these plays take some time to develop, and that can cause issues sometimes.
This isn't a call for a total overhaul of the offensive scheme, but head coach Kevin O'Connell and the Vikings offense need to find ways to get quick-hitting pass plays into the mix, as it's too risky to rely on this offensive line to hold up.
2. Contain the outside run better
Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs had quite the game against Minnesota last Sunday. While there aren't many players in the NFL who are as explosive a player as Gibbs, there were a lot of plays where he exposed major flaws in the Vikings' defensive scheme.
Los Angeles running back Kyren Williams had 97 rush yards against Minnesota in Week 8, so the Vikings are well aware that the Rams aren't afraid to run the football on them.
The biggest issue that Gibbs showed for the Minnesota defense was that once a runner bounces outside, there isn't a lot left to contain them. Again, Gibbs is a freak athlete who has better speed than most players in the league, but it's still something that the Vikings must take note of when they face the Rams on Monday.
Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay is an incredible play-caller, and it is safe to assume he noticed Minnesota's struggles on Sunday night and is ready to exploit them.
3. Get to Matthew Stafford
The Vikings tallied zero sacks when they faced off against the Rams in Week 8, the only time all season that the team hasn't recorded a sack.
Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores will need to dial up something special this weekend, as keeping quarterback Matthew Stafford clean was a big reason that the Rams were able to beat the Vikings the first time around this season.
Los Angeles's offensive line has been solid this season, with Stafford being the 22nd most sacked quarterback in the NFL, a full 20 sacks less than what Darnold has endured. While the goal is to get Stafford on the ground, the Vikings need to pressure him more at the very least.
Allowing an elite quarterback like Stafford to have time in the pocket is a recipe for disaster if you're Minnesota, and they saw that firsthand in Week 8.