Five takeaways from the Vikings’ 30-20 loss to Rams

Five takeaways from the Vikings’ 30-20 loss to Rams

The most recent loss was filled with warning signs about the rest of the season.

By Dane Mizutani, Pioneer Press – October 25, 2024

INGLEWOOD, Calif.—In a span of 96 hours this week, the Vikings watched things go slightly off the rails, their 5-0 record quickly slumping to 5-2 record.

After a 31-29 loss to the Detroit Lions last Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium, the Vikings suffered a 30-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night at SoFi Stadium.

Thursday’s loss was filled with warning signs about the future of the Vikings if they don’t get things cleaned up. The issues have spanned both sides of the ball as complementary football has gone out the window.

That was especially true in primetime Thursday as the Vikings couldn’t get anything going on offense and couldn’t stop a nosebleed on defense.

Here are our five takeaways from Vikings’ 30-20 loss to Rams:

  1. No pressure generated up front

It’s inexcusable that the Vikings let veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford drop back 34 times without taking him down for a sack. It’s even more inexcusable that the Vikings only managed to pressure him four times. Those numbers are jarring considering the Vikings were among the best teams in the NFL at generating pressure during their undefeated start. If they can’t generate pressure up front, everything else on their defense falls by the wayside. Stafford carved them up, completing 25 of 34 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns.

  1. The secondary struggled mightily

This was the first time since signing with the Vikings that cornerback Stephon Gilmore looked his age. The 34-year-old veteran struggled to keep up with a group of Rams pass catchers led by Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. It remains to be seen if it was simply an off game for Gilmore or a sign of things to come. The woes weren’t confined to Gilmore. Cornerback Shaq Griffin also struggled in coverage. The same can be said about cornerback Byron Murphy Jr., even if he did have an interception.

  1. Sam Darnold has more to give

It might not seem like the case after looking at Sam Darnold’s stat line. The veteran quarterback completed 18 of 25 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns. He threw the ball well, and he deserves credit for that part of his performance. But Darnold needs to clean up some of the operational stuff before the snap, and he needs to stop holding onto the ball for so long. His worst play came late when he tried to reverse pivot out of the pocket and was dropped for a 13-yard sack. A couple of plays later, the Vikings were forced to punt. Those little things continue to plague Darnold despite his success.

  1. Justin Jefferson is unguardable

Maybe the Vikings should throw the ball to star receiver Justin Jefferson even more. He looked completely unguardable against the Rams, whether he was running open over the middle or making a spectacular grab along the sideline. Jefferson finished with eight catches for 115 yards, putting the Vikings on his back for long stretches. There have been times this season that the offense has stagnated toward the middle of the game. That’s when they should lean heavily into Jefferson above anybody else.

  1. The loss of Christian Darrisaw hurts

After suffering a left knee injury in the game, star left tackle Christian Darrisaw will be out for the season. He got rolled up on and appeared to grab his left knee as he writhed on the field in pain. A series of tests confirmed that Darrisaw has suffered injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in his left knee that will require surgery. It’s unclear how the Vikings will proceed with Darrisaw no longer a part of the starting offensive line. The next man up on Thursday was veteran left tackle David Quessenberry. The saving grace for the Vikings is they are approaching a softer part of their schedule, which features games against the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans.