The Minnesota Vikings trailed the Los Angeles Rams 24-3 at halftime, making it six straight quarters of poor football in the Vikings’ two biggest games of the season. Much can be attributed to the Rams’ pass rush being historically good in the first half.
Sam Darnold was sacked six times in the first half. According to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, it’s the first time a QB has been sacked six times in the first half of a playoff game since 1987. That quarterback was Wade Wilson, the Vikings’ quarterback in the NFC Championship Game against Washington.
It’s been a rough two games for Darnold, who could potentially be signed to an extension this off-season by the Vikings or another quarterback-needy team. The ESPN telecast showed his pinky taped up before kickoff.
One sack resulted in a 57-yard scoop-and-score by Rams edge rusher Jared Verse to put Los Angeles ahead 17-3. The sixth sack came on a 4th-and-2 attempt at the end of the first half, giving the Rams a short field.
They would score five plays later to go up 24-3 at halftime.
