The Rams are set to take on the Vikings Monday night at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Tune in at 5 p.m. pacific time Monday on ESPN and ABC.
Ahead of the contest, here are 3 Keys to Winning for the Rams, presented by The Law Offices of Jacob Emrani (CallJacob.com).
1) Have answers for pressure looks from Vikings' defense
That aggressiveness has been Minnesota's calling card this season under defensive coordinator Brian Flores. The Vikings' 35.3% blitz rate in the teams' first meeting in Week 8 would end up being their sixth-lowest of the season, but the Rams had solves thanks to head coach Sean McVay's gameplan and quarterback Matthew Stafford's ability to quickly process the disguised coverages.
Minnesota will surely have a different game plan this time around.
2) Be efficient in the run game
The Vikings finished the regular season allowing the second-fewest rushing yards per game in the league. Leaning heavily on running back Kyren Williams played a big role in the Rams mounting a five-game win streak in the second half of the regular season, and this week will be no different. Maximizing his carries will be critical, especially to keep those aggressive looks from Minnesota's defense at bay.
3) Create takeaways while protecting the football
Minnesota tied with the Los Angeles Chargers and Green Bay Packers for third-best turnover margin in the regular season at +12. It also led the NFL in takeaways with 33. However, the Vikings also recorded 21 giveaways. Creating, and not committing, turnovers will be equally critical on Monday night. And when creating those takeaways, turning them into points.
