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After taking losses in their final games of the season, the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings are gearing up for Week 8 Part Two during Super Wildcard Weekend, a winner-takes-all battle to advance in the NFL playoffs.
Soon, fans will see if the Vikings can right their wrongs from back in November, proving that their loss last week to the Detroit Lions was no fluke or if Minnesota's ceiling simply isn't as high as some fans expected when they were rolling teams for much of the year.
And yet, even after resting their starters to effectively throw away the third seed in Week 18, Sean McVay and the Rams aren't taking their foe for granted, as on Monday, the Super Bowl-winning head coach told reporters just how impressed he's been with Sam Darnold in Kevin O'Connell's offensive scheme.
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“I think Sam has done a great job. He’s always had a great ability to be able to get through progressions, activate different parts of the field, and buy time with his legs. I think he’s a much better athlete than maybe people give him credit for. He’s moved the sticks with his legs a lot this year. I think Kevin does a great job. He played the position. You can see he understands how to cater things to his skill set. I think you've seen a great agility on his part to accentuate guy’s skill sets, whether it was when he was here working with Matthew [Stafford], [Lions Quarterback] Jared [Goff] or [Jets Quarterback] John Wofford,” McVay told repoters.
“Even what he’s done when you look at Minnesota, the way that [Falcons Quarterback] Kirk [Cousins] played. The way that you've seen [Vikings Quarterback] Nick Mullens and [49ers Quarterback] Joshua Dobbs play and then looking at Sam and what a phenomenal year he’s had this year. I think one of the biggest compliments you can give to a coach is usually guys play their best when they're working with certain guys. I think Kevin has a great ability to bring out the best in people. That's one of the things that makes him a great coach. I think there's a unique perspective he has from playing the position, understanding how to communicate, how to connect and how to cater things to fit their skill sets in what is arguably the most difficult position in all of sports.”
Who is more responsible for the Vikings' success in 2025, O'Connell or Darnold? Has the former really unlocked the latter in a way no other team in the NFL has since he was drafted third overall out of USC by the New York Jets? Or has Darnold's arm, legs, and decision-making allowed O'Connell to expand his playbook much like how Atlanta has after benching Kirk Cousins for Michael Penix Jr? While that may ultimately depend on your opinion, one thing is for sure: this marriage has worked better than anyone could have imagined and the Rams had better be ready for what's coming to SoFi this weekend.
