Vikings-Rams predictions: Minnesota Star Tribune staffers try again, this time in the NFL playoffs

Hardly any of the Minnesota Star Tribune staff writers and columnists who cover the Vikings thought they would have a winning record this season, let alone be 14-3 and in the playoffs. Now they get another chance to predict the team’s fate as the Vikings head to Glendale, Ariz., to play the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night (7 p.m., ABC, ESPN).

Of the 14 playoff teams, the Rams rank lowest in scoring offense (20th) and rushing (24th). But if grit were a measurable, Matthew Stafford would rank below no one. His team is rested. His defense has a dangerous pass rush led by rookies Jared Verse outside and Braden Fiske inside. And, oh yeah, Sam Darnold did nothing last week to ease fears of another painful Purple heartbreak. Rams 27, Vikings 24

Of the draws the Vikings could have had in the first round, I think this is one of the tougher ones. The Rams have a coach and quarterback with plenty of playoff experience, a defense that can get pressure without taking resources away from coverage and a receiver (Puka Nacua) who can turn quick passes into productive gains. The Rams offense hasn’t been explosive lately, and it’s possible they just caught the Vikings in a bad spot with a short week and tough West Coast travel in October. Changing this one to a neutral site (and possibly even a pro-Vikings crowd) makes a difference, too. But I’ll take the Rams on the belief Stafford has one more playoff victory in him. Rams 21, Vikings 17

The Vikings already lost to the Rams after losing to the Lions. I don’t exactly expect the past to repeat itself. I think Rams coach Sean McVay rested starters in the season finale because two key guys in particular — 36-year-old quarterback Matthew Stafford and 31-year-old receiver Cooper Kupp — needed it. They’re still talented enough to beat the Vikings, but I think Brian Flores’ defense will be better prepared for Rams star Puka Nacua, who surprised everyone, including Flores, when he returned from injured reserve after just one practice on a short week to catch 7 passes for 106 yards in the Vikings’ Week 8 loss. Vikings 24, Rams 20

The Vikings' loss to the Lions should have let some steam out of the pressure cooker created by nine straight wins with a quarterback who most on the outside didn’t expect to lead them to that many in the entire season. Kevin O’Connell got his first game against buddy and mentor Sean McVay out of the way when these two teams met earlier this season, and there shouldn’t be any last-minute surprises for Brian Flores and his defense like there was with Puka Nacua’s return in October. I’d expect a looser, more comfortable Vikings team than the one that played in both that first matchup with the Rams and last week against the Lions. Vikings 28, Rams 24

I’m looking for the Vikings to have a better offensive showing than in their Week 8 meeting against the Rams. Getting the running established will be important for that to happen, and I like Cam Akers getting in a couple of licks on his former team. Brian Flores knows for sure this time that Puka Nacua is playing and will account for him better. Still, this is going to be a squeaker, with the Vikings taking advantage of a second-half turnover to advance. So calm down, Purple fans. Vikings 26, Rams 24

The Vikings surely would have had an easier path through the postseason had they defeated Detroit last week, but I actually think it’s not a bad thing to open the playoffs away from home and their nervous fans. Minnesota was a better team than the Rams during the course of the season, and L.A. played one of its best games all year in a 30-20 victory in October. Kevin O’Connell can point to several members of the national media picking against the Vikings to renew an effective “nobody believes in us” message that carried the Vikings to an unexpected 14-3 season. Vikings 30, Rams 27

The maestro of defense, Brian Flores, flusters Matthew Stafford with pressure from everywhere, poor old Matt throws two picks and loses a fumble, and Vikings pull away by a familiar score. Vikings 31, Rams 9

My long-held theory on the NFL is that when a narrative is shifting far to one side, pick the opposite. The Vikings’ flop at Detroit stirred lots of doom-and-gloom chatter about a 14-win season being ruined by a one-and-done playoff exit. The hunch here is that the Vikings regroup mentally and emotionally, Sam Darnold shows more accuracy with his nerves under control and Brian Flores cooks up a game plan that does enough to disrupt Matthew Stafford. Vikings 24, Rams 21

It’s a matchup league, and the Vikings drew the worst possible matchup they could have in the first round of the playoffs. The Rams can match the Vikings’ coaching; have the more proven quarterback; are healthy and rested; and found a way to beat Brian Flores’ defense earlier this season. Rams 27, Vikings 22

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