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The significance of Monday’s 27-9 win over the Minnesota Vikings beyond its playoff consequences wasn’t lost on members of the Los Angeles Rams.
The NFC Wild Card Round matchup, which was moved to Glendale, Arizona, came as emergency responders are still fighting wildfires impacting the Los Angeles area.
“There was definitely every excuse in the book to come out here and be lethargic and woe is me and all that, but we knew we weren’t playing just for us,” Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said, per ESPN’s Sarah Barshop. “[We were] playing for people back home that needed something to watch and enjoy and I’m glad we could give that to them.”
Head coach Sean McVay and wide receiver Cooper Kupp echoed the sentiment.
“You talk about sports offering a platform for people to come together, offer a little bit of temporary relief, and I thought the way that our team competed tonight was what it looked like,” McVay said.
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“They epitomized and they represented the city the right way.” <a href=”https://t.co/tL9xdZRQyN”>pic.twitter.com/tL9xdZRQyN</a>
Kupp added that the Rams felt a “responsibility” to leave everything on the field.
“You go out through the tunnel and that weight hits you front and center,” he said. “These people are here and the energy that they brought, the atmosphere that they created, you wanted to make the most of that.”
The Rams announced last week they were arranging for at least 15 charter buses to transport season-ticket holders from Los Angeles to State Farm Stadium. According to Barshop, that number grew to around 30 buses, which helped around 1,500 fans make the trek from Southern California.
Those fans didn’t go home disappointed as Los Angeles cruised past Minnesota.
The Rams led 24-3 at halftime, scoring twice inside the final 4:35 of the second quarter. Rookie linebacker Jared Verse returned a fumble 57 yards for a touchdown and then Stafford connected with tight end Davis Allen on a 13-yard pass with 15 seconds on the clock.
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Jared Verse reached a top speed of 19.88 mph, the fastest speed reached by a 260+ pound ball carrier over the last seven seasons (since 2018).<br><br>Powered by <a href=”https://twitter.com/awscloud?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@awscloud</a> <a href=”https://t.co/C2ukO5rLeD”>pic.twitter.com/C2ukO5rLeD</a>
Stafford finished 19-of-27 for 209 yards and two touchdowns, while running back Kyren Williams went for 76 yards on the ground. In addition to forcing two turnovers, the Rams defense sacked Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold nine times, which tied a single-game playoff record.
Los Angeles will hit the road to play the Philadelphia Eagles in the next round.
