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Rams 30-20 Vikings (October 24, 2024) Game Recap

Vaseline October 25, 2024

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Cooper Kupp caught a touchdown pass and Puka Nacua had 106 yards receiving in their return after an extended absence with injuries, and Matthew Stafford passed for 279 yards and four touchdowns in the Los Angeles Rams’ 30-20 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night.

Demarcus Robinson caught two TD passes from Stafford for the Rams (3-4), who won back-to-back games for the first time this season with 386 yards from an offense that looked exponentially more dangerous with its top two receivers back in uniform .

After missing the previous five games, Nacua had seven catches while posting the eighth 100-yard game of his short career. Kupp returned from a four-game absence with five catches for 51 yards, including a 27-yard grab for a key first down late in the fourth quarter.

Kyren Williams rushed for 97 yards and caught an early TD pass for the Rams. Robinson caught a 25-yard TD pass late in the third quarter to put Los Angeles ahead, and he caught a 10-yard TD throw with 6:17 to play for a 28–20 lead.

Byron Young then sacked Sam Darnold for a safety with 1:36 left and grabbed Darnold’s facemask on the play. Officials didn’t throw a flag, sealing the Rams’ third straight victory over Minnesota.

Darnold passed for 240 yards for the Vikings (5-2), who followed up their first loss of the season with an ineffective defensive performance. Minnesota also lost starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw to a knee injury late in the first half.

Justin Jefferson had eight receptions for 115 yards, while Josh Oliver and Trent Sherfield caught TD passes from Darnold. Minnesota was held to two field goals in the final three quarters.

Stafford threw at least four TD passes for the 16th time in his career, including four with the Rams. The veteran had thrown just three TD passes in the Rams’ first six games combined.

McVay also won his first head-to-head meeting with Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, who was his offensive coordinator during the Rams’ Super Bowl championship season three years ago.

Both teams scored touchdowns on their first two drives in front of a sold-out crowd at SoFi Stadium. Darnold went 8 for 8 on those drives, while Stafford clearly enjoyed having his two favorite targets back in uniform.

Williams caught a short pass on the Rams’ opening drive and scored a touchdown in his 10th straight game. The Vikings had not allowed a TD in the first quarter all season, and the Rams had not scored on their first drive all season.

Darnold found Jefferson five times on the first two drives, but finished them with throws to Oliver and Sherfield, who scored a touchdown for his fifth NFL team.

Byron Murphy intercepted an overthrown pass from Stafford in the third, and Minnesota went up 17-14 after Jefferson extended the drive with a bobbing, one-handed reception.

Los Angeles answered with another 70-yard TD drive, capped by Robinson’s catch.

Injuries

Vikings: TE TJ Hockenson (knee) and G Dalton Risner (back) were out. … Darrisaw was injured as Minnesota tried to run out the clock to end the first half.

Rams: Rookie WR Jordan Whittington was inactive due to a shoulder injury. … S Kam Curl injured his knee in the first quarter, but returned in the second.

Vikings: Host Indianapolis in a Sunday night game on November 3.

Rams: At Seattle on Nov. 3.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL