The Minnesota Vikings' promising season came to a disappointing end as they fell to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC wild-card round. Quarterback Sam Darnold, who had a resurgent season, struggled in his first playoff start, throwing an interception and being sacked nine times, matching an NFL record.
Darnold, who had revived his career after a rocky start with the New York Jets, led the Vikings to a 14-4 record under coach Kevin O’Connell. Despite his efforts, the Vikings were unable to secure a win in the playoffs.
The Vikings had a chance to clinch the top seed in the NFC in their final regular-season game against the Detroit Lions but fell short, leading to a road game against the Rams in the wild-card round. The game was relocated to Arizona due to wildfires in Southern California.
In the playoff game against the Rams, Darnold struggled with holding onto the ball too long, resulting in critical turnovers that favored the Rams. Despite a late touchdown pass to T.J. Hockenson, the Vikings were unable to mount a comeback, ultimately losing 27-9.
Coach O’Connell praised Darnold's efforts throughout the season but acknowledged the need to address the issues that arose in the playoff game. Darnold took responsibility for his performance, recognizing the missed opportunities and turnovers that impacted the outcome.
While the loss was a disappointing end to an otherwise successful season for the Vikings, they will look to regroup and build on the progress made under O’Connell and Darnold for the future.
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