After a big NFL game, most fans want one thing: the numbers. Who threw for the most yards? Who ran the ball well? Who made the big stops on defense? This guide explains the Minnesota Vikings vs Los Angeles Rams match player stats in simple words, so you can follow every detail, even if you are new to football.
We look at the two most recent games between these teams. The last one was an NFC Wild Card playoff game on January 13, 2025. The game before that was a regular season game on October 24, 2024. The Rams won both, but the two games told very different stories. All numbers in this article come from ESPN box scores and Pro Football Archives. You can find the links at the end.
Quick Facts About the Two Games
| Playoff game | Regular season game | |
|---|---|---|
| Date | January 13, 2025 | October 24, 2024 |
| Place | State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California |
| Final score | Rams 27, Vikings 9 | Rams 30, Vikings 20 |
| Crowd | 64,515 fans | 72,127 fans |
| Type of game | NFC Wild Card | Thursday night game |
A Short Look at Past Meetings
These two teams have met many times, and the Rams have had the better of the recent games. On September 27, 2018, the Rams won a high scoring game, 38 to 31. In that game, the Vikings passer threw for 422 yards and 3 touchdowns, but it was not enough. On December 26, 2021, the Rams won again, 30 to 23.
Then came the two games we cover in this article. So in the four games listed here, the Rams won every time. Keep that in mind when you read the stats below, because the numbers show why.
Game 1: The Playoff Game (Rams 27, Vikings 9)
Why was this game played in Arizona?
This game was a home game for the Rams, but it was moved to Arizona because of wildfires in the Los Angeles area. ESPN notes this on the game page. The Vikings came in with a 14 and 3 record. The Rams had a 10 and 7 record. Many fans thought it would be close. It was not.
Score by quarter
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vikings | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 9 |
| Rams | 10 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 27 |
The Rams jumped out early. Matthew Stafford threw a 5 yard touchdown pass to Kyren Williams, and Joshua Karty added a 34 yard field goal. The Vikings answered with a 34 yard field goal from Will Reichard, but then the game turned. Rams linebacker Jared Verse picked up a fumble and ran 57 yards for a touchdown. A 13 yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Davis Allen made it 24 to 3 before halftime.
The Vikings did score once in the third quarter. Sam Darnold threw a 26 yard touchdown pass to T.J. Hockenson, but the two point try failed. The Rams added a 44 yard field goal, and that was the end of the scoring.
Passing stats
| Player | Team | Completions / Attempts | Yards | TD | INT | Sacked | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Darnold | Vikings | 25 / 40 | 245 | 1 | 1 | 9 times for 82 yards | 77.6 |
| Matthew Stafford | Rams | 19 / 27 | 209 | 2 | 0 | 2 times for 7 yards | 117.7 |
Darnold threw for more yards, but Stafford was much better with the ball. He completed 70 percent of his passes, threw two touchdowns, and did not throw an interception. Darnold was under pressure all night. The nine sacks cost the Vikings 82 yards, and that hurt every drive.
Rushing stats
| Player | Team | Carries | Yards | Longest run |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Jones | Vikings | 13 | 48 | 13 |
| Cam Akers | Vikings | 5 | 39 | 26 |
| Sam Darnold | Vikings | 4 | 19 | 17 |
| Kyren Williams | Rams | 16 | 76 | 17 |
| Ronnie Rivers | Rams | 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Puka Nacua | Rams | 1 | 7 | 7 |
As a team, the Vikings actually ran for more yards than the Rams, 106 to 90. Cam Akers had a nice average of 7.8 yards per carry. Kyren Williams was the top runner for the Rams with 76 yards, and he also scored a touchdown as a receiver.
Receiving stats
| Player | Team | Catches | Yards | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T.J. Hockenson | Vikings | 5 | 64 | 1 |
| Justin Jefferson | Vikings | 5 | 58 | 0 |
| Jalen Nailor | Vikings | 3 | 33 | 0 |
| Jordan Addison | Vikings | 3 | 29 | 0 |
| Tyler Higbee | Rams | 5 | 58 | 0 |
| Puka Nacua | Rams | 5 | 44 | 0 |
| Kyren Williams | Rams | 3 | 16 | 1 |
| Cooper Kupp | Rams | 1 | 29 | 0 |
Justin Jefferson had a quiet night by his own high standards. He was targeted 8 times and caught 5 passes for 58 yards. Hockenson was the best Vikings receiver, with 64 yards and the team’s only touchdown. For the Rams, tight end Tyler Higbee led the team with 58 yards. Stafford spread the ball around well, and eight different Rams players caught a pass.
Defense: the story of the game
The biggest number in this game is nine. The Rams sacked Darnold nine times. Here is who got to him:
- Kobie Turner: 2 sacks
- Byron Young: 1.5 sacks
- Neville Gallimore: 1.5 sacks
- Cobie Durant: 1 sack, plus an interception
- Desjuan Johnson: 1 sack
- Ahkello Witherspoon: 1 sack
- Braden Fiske and Michael Hoecht: half a sack each
The Rams also had 12 quarterback hits. That is a lot of pressure on one passer. Quentin Lake led the Rams with 9 tackles.
For the Vikings, linebackers did the hard work. Blake Cashman had 11 tackles, Ivan Pace Jr. had 10 tackles with 2 tackles for loss, and safety Harrison Smith had 9 tackles. Andrew Van Ginkel and Cashman each had a sack, so the Vikings finished with 2 sacks in total.
Special teams
Joshua Karty made both of his field goals, with a long of 44 yards, and all three extra points. Rams punter Ethan Evans did a great job. He punted 5 times with a 50.2 yard average, and 3 of those punts ended inside the 20 yard line. Vikings punter Ryan Wright punted 3 times for a 44.3 yard average. Ty Chandler returned two kickoffs for 58 yards for Minnesota.
Team numbers that explain the result
Here is a surprise. The Vikings had more first downs (20 to 16) and held the ball longer (32 minutes 18 seconds to 27 minutes 42 seconds). The Rams were also called for 10 penalties for 95 yards. So why did the Rams win by 18 points?
The answer is turnovers and pressure. The Vikings turned the ball over twice, one interception and one lost fumble, and the fumble became a Rams touchdown. The Vikings also made only 6 of 17 third downs. The Rams made no turnovers at all. In a playoff game, that is often the whole story.
Game 2: The Regular Season Game (Rams 30, Vikings 20)
Score by quarter
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vikings | 14 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 20 |
| Rams | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 30 |
The Vikings started fast and led 14 to 7 after the first quarter. After that, the Rams took over. They scored 23 of the next 29 points in the game. The last score was a safety, when Byron Young sacked Darnold in the end zone.
Passing stats
| Player | Team | Completions / Attempts | Yards | TD | INT | Sacked | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Stafford | Rams | 25 / 34 | 279 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 124.5 |
| Sam Darnold | Vikings | 18 / 25 | 240 | 2 | 0 | 3 times for 28 yards | 128.8 |
This was a great game for both passers. Stafford threw four touchdown passes, and Darnold had a slightly higher passer rating on fewer throws. The Rams won because Stafford was never sacked, and he kept making plays when the game was close.
Rushing stats
| Player | Team | Carries | Yards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyren Williams | Rams | 23 | 97 |
| Blake Corum | Rams | 4 | 9 |
| Aaron Jones | Vikings | 19 | 58 |
| Sam Darnold | Vikings | 3 | 6 |
Kyren Williams came very close to 100 yards. The Rams ran 32 times for 107 yards as a team, while the Vikings ran 22 times for 64 yards. Williams also caught 5 passes and scored a touchdown, so he was a big part of the Rams offense all night.
Receiving stats
| Player | Team | Catches | Yards | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Jefferson | Vikings | 8 | 115 | 0 |
| Aaron Jones | Vikings | 2 | 37 | 0 |
| Josh Oliver | Vikings | 2 | 30 | 1 |
| Trent Sherfield | Vikings | 1 | 10 | 1 |
| Puka Nacua | Rams | 7 | 106 | 0 |
| Cooper Kupp | Rams | 5 | 51 | 1 |
| Demarcus Robinson | Rams | 2 | 35 | 2 |
| Kyren Williams | Rams | 5 | 19 | 1 |
Here is where Justin Jefferson was at his best. He caught 8 passes for 115 yards. On the other side, Puka Nacua caught 7 passes for 106 yards. Two players with more than 100 receiving yards in one game is something fans love to see. Demarcus Robinson only had two catches, but both went for touchdowns.
Defense
The Rams sacked Darnold three times. Jared Verse had 1.5 sacks, Byron Young had 1, and Michael Hoecht had half a sack. The Vikings did not get a sack in this game, but Byron Murphy Jr. made an interception. Ivan Pace Jr. led the Vikings with 13 tackles.
Special teams
Will Reichard made both of his field goals for Minnesota, with a long of 35 yards. Vikings punter Ryan Wright was excellent. He punted 3 times for a 50.3 yard average, and all three punts landed inside the 20 yard line. The Rams kicker, Joshua Karty, made all four of his extra points.
So, Who Played the Best?
Stats do not tell everything, but they give us a good way to compare players. Here are my picks, using only the numbers above.
Last game (January 13, 2025):
- Best player overall: Kobie Turner. He had 2 sacks, 2 tackles for loss, and 2 quarterback hits, and he helped the Rams pressure Darnold all night.
- Best on offense: Matthew Stafford. He had a 117.7 passer rating, two touchdowns, and no mistakes.
- Best for the Vikings: Blake Cashman and T.J. Hockenson. Cashman led all players with 11 tackles, and Hockenson had the only Vikings touchdown.
Earlier game (October 24, 2024):
- Best on offense: Matthew Stafford, with 4 touchdown passes.
- Best receiver: Justin Jefferson, with 115 yards. Puka Nacua was very close with 106.
- Best runner: Kyren Williams, with 97 yards and a touchdown catch.
You may pick different players, and that is fine. That is part of the fun of reading box scores.
How to Read Football Stats (Easy Guide)
If some of the words in the tables were new to you, this short guide can help.
- Completions / Attempts: How many passes the quarterback completed out of all the passes he threw. 25 / 40 means 25 catches from 40 throws.
- Yards: How far the ball moved. In football, more yards usually means more chances to score.
- TD: Touchdown. A touchdown is worth 6 points. Teams can then kick for 1 extra point or try for 2.
- INT: Interception. This happens when a defender catches a pass meant for the other team. It is a big mistake for the quarterback.
- Sack: When a defender tackles the quarterback before he can throw the ball. Sacks lose yards and often stop a drive.
- Passer rating: A number that combines a quarterback’s completions, yards, touchdowns, and interceptions. A rating above 100 is considered very good.
- Carries: How many times a player ran with the ball.
- Tackles for loss (TFL): A tackle that stops the runner behind the line where the play started.
- QB hit: When a defender hits the quarterback right as or after he throws, even if there is no sack.
- Targets: How many times a pass was thrown to a player, even if he did not catch it.
Do the Vikings and Rams Play Again Soon?
As of October 24, 2026, the Vikings’ regular season schedule does not include a game against the Rams. The two teams could still meet in the playoffs, but that depends on how the season goes. Rosters also change from year to year, so the stats in this article are best used as a look back at how these two teams matched up in their most recent games. For the latest schedule and scores, check the official NFL website or ESPN.
Final Thoughts
The last Vikings vs Rams game was a clear win for Los Angeles. Matthew Stafford played a clean game, the Rams defense sacked Sam Darnold nine times, and the Vikings could not recover from their turnovers. The earlier game in October 2024 was closer and more exciting, with great numbers from both quarterbacks and two receivers who went over 100 yards.
If you want to know how a game was really won, do not stop at the final score. Look at turnovers, sacks, and third down results. In both of these games, those numbers explain the winner better than anything else.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the last Minnesota Vikings vs Los Angeles Rams game?
The Los Angeles Rams won the last game, 27 to 9. It was an NFC Wild Card playoff game played on January 13, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The game was moved there because of wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
Which player had the best stats in the last game?
It depends on the position. On defense, Rams lineman Kobie Turner stood out with 2 sacks, 2 tackles for loss, and 2 quarterback hits. On offense, Matthew Stafford had the best day. He completed 19 of 27 passes for 209 yards and 2 touchdowns, with no interceptions. For the Vikings, Blake Cashman had a team high 11 tackles, and T.J. Hockenson scored their only touchdown.
Do the Vikings play the Rams in the 2026 season?
No. The Vikings’ 2026 regular season schedule does not include a game against the Rams. The teams could only meet this season in the playoffs. The most recent games between them were on January 13, 2025, and October 24, 2024.
