Ah, Minnesota Vikings fans. The eternal optimists of the NFL. Every year, without fail, they come out swinging with their purple-and-gold dreams of finally breaking the curse and hoisting that elusive Lombardi Trophy. And every year, like clockwork, reality gently (or not-so-gently) reminds them, “Not today, my friend.”
The Vikings’ latest heartbreak came in the form of a 27-9 beatdown by the Los Angeles Rams. That’s right—just nine points. To put that in perspective, that’s the same number of points you’d score if you lost two rounds of bar trivia. And yet, as I sit here sipping my coffee from a Packers mug (taste that? It’s victory… from 2011), I can’t help but chuckle at how predictable this all was.
Minnesota’s golden boy Sam Darnold got acquainted with the Rams’ defensive line in a way no quarterback should—nine sacks, folks. Nine! At this point, Darnold isn’t just seeing Rams in his nightmares; he’s probably naming them. “This one’s Aaron, that one’s Jared, and over there is Mr. I’m-Coming-For-You-Again.”
Of course, Darnold, ever the stoic, offered his standard quarterback mea culpa after the game: “I clearly haven’t played good enough the last couple of weeks.” No kidding, Sam. Completing 25 of 40 passes for a respectable-looking 245 yards and a touchdown only sounds decent if you ignore the 18% sack rate and the fact that he was still hanging onto the ball like it was a family heirloom at a yard sale.
The Rams didn’t even need a superhuman effort to pull this off. They just let their defense plunder away while the offense rode the momentum of a scoop-and-score fumble return. Jared Verse’s 57-yard sprint to the end zone might as well have come with theme music and a montage of Vikings fans sighing in unison.
And while we’re on the subject of momentum, let’s talk about the Vikings’ playoff hopes. They had one job: beat the Lions last week, secure a bye, and prepare for a playoff run. Instead, they followed up that blunder with this disaster. From a 14-win season to a one-and-done playoff exit—Minnesota didn’t just drop the ball; they fumbled it, kicked it, and watched as the Rams ran it back for a touchdown.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell tried to sprinkle in some coach-speak optimism: “We’ve got to find a way to check the ball down and just keep moving the ball forward.” But, Kevin, if you’re checking down on fourth-and-21, you’re not moving the ball forward—you’re moving your vacation plans forward.
So here we are, Vikings Nation, another season of hope dashed on the jagged rocks of postseason reality. But hey, look on the bright side: there’s always next year. And if not, at least you can join me in celebrating our Packers victory… from 2011.
Hey Dana Jane 