The Minnesota Vikings lost a tough game in Week 16 that might have ended their season to the Los Angeles Rams, 30-23.

This is a very disappointing loss for Minnesota and one that they're going to look back at towards the end of the year and realize that they could have walked away with a win and they might have had a different season. Their loss to the Detroit Lions is probably going to be the reason why they aren't going to make the playoffs but this loss against the Rams certainly doesn't help either.

It has been a tough past few years for the Vikings and fans just want this all to end and have their team in the playoffs and compete at a high level.

Let's take a look at three takeaways from the Vikings' Week 16 loss against the Rams.

*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (Click for free trial)*

Vikings Week 16 Takeaways

3. Will things ever change?

Every Viking fan in the world understands that their team just can't ever catch a break. They always have to compete for most of the season but fail to convert towards the end of the year or lose early on in the playoffs. It has been the recipe of the Vikings' entire franchise and unfortunately, it's going to be another year where that does not change.

Article Continues Below
More Minnesota Vikings News
Vikings legend Jim Marshall, Hall of Famer Brett Favre
Brett Favre’s heartfelt reaction to Vikings legend Jim Marshall’s passingAlex House ·
Dec 11, 1976; Miami, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jim Marshall (70) against the Miami Dolphins at the Orange Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Photo By Malcolm Emmons- Imagn Images
Purple People Eaters legend who played 270 straight games passes awayZachary Draves ·
vikings, minnesota vikings
3 Minnesota Vikings hidden gems on 2025 roster you need to knowGarrett Kerman ·
Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah speaks during a press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine at Indiana Convention Center.
Vikings lock up GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to multi-year contract extensionBen Strauss ·
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) under center against the Las Vegas Raiders in the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium.
JJ McCarthy hype train speeding up at OTAsScotty White ·
Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell (58) carries the ball and runs against Chicago Bears linebacker Jack Sanborn (57) during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit
How ESPN projects Packers, Bears’ chances to beat out Lions in NFC NorthBen Strauss ·

It's unsure how much more they have to do to get this team to compete at a high enough level to win a Super Bowl, but they are clearly far away and with some of the losses that they took this year which they had no business losing, they're going to have another disappointing season as it looks like they are not going to make the playoffs.

2. Kiss the playoffs goodbye

This loss is probably going to seal the deal, as it doesn't look like the Vikings are going to have a great chance to make the playoffs. They did not do enough against some teams that they should have beat and they put themselves in a bad position going up against a tough Rams team in the third final week of the season. This is where losing to the Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, and some other winnable games come back to haunt this franchise as they are looking to make the playoffs.

The playoffs aren't completely gone, but it's not going to be easy and they are going to need a lot of things to go their way. All they can control at this point is winning out and that's exactly what the Vikings are going to have to do. In typical Vikings fashion, they will win the next two games and miss the playoffs just because of one game.

1. Competed, but not enough, once again

It seems like all the Vikings losses this year usually come by within a touchdown or less. When looking at their losses this year that has been the case in almost every single one of their losses. They compete at a high level but just can't get the job done. That's a trait of a good football team, but not a good enough football team. That was the same thing in Week 16 as the only loss to the Los Angeles Rams by seven points and certainly had a chance to win the game throughout the contest.