Summary

  • Final game of NFL's Wildcard Weekend

  • FULL-TIME: Minnesota Vikings 9-27 Los Angeles Rams - home side sack Sam Darnold nine times in dominant victory

  • Rams will face the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday in the Divisional round

  • See the full play-off bracket here

  • NFL live scores and fixtures

  1. Call Reversed!published at 01:59 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January

    Minnesota Vikings 3-10 Los Angeles Rams

    Matthew StaffordImage source, Getty Images

    Hold on! The TV officials have had a look and deemed that Matthew Stafford had tried to throw the ball forward and therefore was not a fumble but an incomplete pass.

    There's a shout for intentional grounding there but the refs say Puka Nacua is close enough to avoid that penalty too - although Stafford has his head down and is clearly just chucking the ball away.

    The large gathering of Vikings fans in the crowd hate that call, and are making their feelings known.

  2. touchdown

    Touchdown - Vikings!published at 01:56 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January

    Minnesota Vikings 3-10 Los Angeles Rams

    Oh my word! Matthew Stafford is sacked, the ball pops out and Minnesota pick it up and take it to the house for a scoo-and-score touchdown by the Vikings defence.

    Huge play! If it stands....

  3. field goal

    Field goal - Vikingspublished at 01:53 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January

    Minnesota Vikings 3-10 Los Angeles Rams

    Minnesota kicker Will Reichard comes out on the field and and slots home from 34 yards to cut the lead back to a touchdown.

    Some bright spots in that Sam Darnold drive, as the quarterback has not missed a throw yet with a perfect 7/7 for 69 yards - but the run game has been non existent so far for Minnesota.

  4. Just shortpublished at 01:51 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January

    Minnesota Vikings 0-10 Los Angeles Rams

    They needed 10, but they could only get eight as Justin Jefferson tries to put a move on the defenders but falls just short of the line to gain.

    Will Kevin O'Connell go for it? No is the quick answer as the field goal unit trots out.

  5. Safe hands Ramspublished at 01:50 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January

    Minnesota Vikings 0-10 Los Angeles Rams

    Stafford started on fire in that first quarter and his receivers are helped him out with some steady hands too...

    Kyren Williams' touchdownImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Kyren Williams' touchdown

    Tyler Higbee hauls in a catchImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Tyler Higbee hauls in a beautiful pass

  6. End of first quarterpublished at 01:49 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January

    Minnesota Vikings 0-10 Los Angeles Rams

    And that'll do us for the first 15 minutes - all Los Angeles so far but just a hint on this drive of the Vikings growing into the game.

  7. Sack!published at 01:49 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January

    Minnesota Vikings 0-10 Los Angeles Rams

    One step forward and then two back for Minnesota as Sam Darnold is sacked for a seven-yard loss. The Vikes get those seven yards right back on second down with a pass to tight end TJ Hockenson but now face a crucial third down.

  8. Postpublished at 01:46 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January

    Minnesota Vikings 0-10 Los Angeles Rams

    Justin Jefferson gets open to haul in a 22-yard catch that drives the Vikings down toward the red zone. If you're going to leave Jefferson open like that then he'll have a huge night.

  9. First down!published at 01:45 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January

    Minnesota Vikings 0-10 Los Angeles Rams

    Jordan Addison makes a brilliant stretching grab on the sideline to keep the Minnesota offence on the field by securing the first down.

    Throw was a touch high from Sam Darnold, but Addison is an excellent receiver, as anyone who drafted him in fantasy football well knows.

  10. 'Big question is how will Minnesota respond after devastating loss'published at 01:43 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January

    Minnesota Vikings 0-10 Los Angeles Rams

    Troy Aikman
    Three-time Super Bowl winner on ESPN/ABC

    This is going to be the game for the Rams - can their front four get pressure on Sam Darnold?

    That is some of what gave Minnesota issues last week against Detroit and on the Vikings' first pass attempt of the game, the Rams get home on Darnold.

    The big question this week is how will Minnesota respond after the devastating loss, where they could have been the number one seed in the NFC, or playing this week as the five seed, and so far the answer is not very well.

  11. Rams rollingpublished at 01:43 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January

    Minnesota Vikings 0-10 Los Angeles Rams

    Just the three points on that second drive but Sean McVay will be delighted with how the Rams are moving the ball at will against the Vikings here.

    Now, can the Vikings find an answer?

  12. 'When Stafford gets hot, it's hard to cool him down'published at 01:41 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January

    Minnesota Vikings 0-10 Los Angeles Rams

    Troy Aikman
    Three-time Super Bowl winner on ESPN/ABC

    Matthew Stafford is a streaky quarterback and when he gets hot, it's hard to cool him down. He made the first pass to Puka Nacua and he's just been on a roll ever since.

    The Minnesota defence has tried to rush four, rushed five or brought six, and it just has not mattered.

  13. field goal

    Field goal - Ramspublished at 01:41 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January

    Minnesota Vikings 0-10 Los Angeles Rams

    Rams kicker Joshua Karty makes no mistake from 34 yards as LA stretch their lead, albeit with some disappointment after that penalty cost them late in the drive.

  14. Postpublished at 01:40 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January

    Minnesota Vikings 0-7 Los Angeles Rams

    Matthew Stafford looks away in disgust after a late penalty by Beaux Limmer costs the Rams 15 yards and backs them up behind the chains.

    And when they then can't regain that yardage they'll have to bring out the field goal unit.

  15. Fumble!published at 01:37 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January

    Minnesota Vikings 0-7 Los Angeles Rams

    Kyren Williams now busts out for a nice run, but he suffers his sixth fumble of the season. Luckily for the Rams though Puka Nacua is alert and dives on the ball to retain possession.

  16. Surgical Staffordpublished at 01:36 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January

    Minnesota Vikings 0-7 Los Angeles Rams

    Matthew Stafford is 9/9 for 104 yards and a touchdown already in this game and he has the ball around midfield on this second Rams drive of the day.

  17. Postpublished at 01:34 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January

    Minnesota Vikings 0-7 Los Angeles Rams

    This is looking like classic Matthew Stafford tonight as he fires another one of his bullets down the field to Demarcus Robinson for 23 yards. That's a nice contested catch by the Rams receiver.

  18. Three-and-outpublished at 01:31 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January

    Minnesota Vikings 0-7 Los Angeles Rams

    Well, that wasn't ideal for the Vikings as Aaron Jones was first smoked for a loss of a yard before Sam Darnold was sacked by Byron Young a 10-yard loss so despite an 11-yard catch by Justin Jefferson Minnesota have to punt it away.

  19. 'There's a lot of pressure on Darnold and O'Connell'published at 01:29 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January

    Minnesota Vikings 0-7 Los Angeles Rams

    Troy Aikman
    Three-time Super Bowl winner on ESPN/ABC

    It was the biggest game of Sam Darnold's career last week and it didn't go so well. Coming into the game tonight, there's a lot of pressure on him. There's also a lot of pressure on head coach/offensive play-caller Kevin O'Connell to get him into a groove.

    As big of a game as last week was, this week's even bigger. Can't wait to see how he handles it.

  20. Darnold eyes historypublished at 01:29 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January

    Minnesota Vikings 0-7 Los Angeles Rams

    Sam DarnoldImage source, Getty Images

    If Minnesota win tonight, Sam Darnold will become just the sixth starting quarterback since 1966 to win his play-off debut while appearing for a fourth different NFL team.

    Oh, and of the previous five, three of them made the Super Bowl.