Goff Torches Vikings As Rams Move To 4-0
There isn’t another receiver Jared Goff trusts quite like Cooper Kupp and the Minnesota Vikings learned that the hard way on Thursday night.
In a high-scoring shootout, the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Minnesota Vikings 38-31 on Thursday night at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles.
Behind Los Angeles Rams’ quarterback Jared Goff’s career-high 465 passing yards and 5 TDs and wide receiver Cooper Kupp’s 162 receiving yards and 2 TDs, the Los Angeles Rams remained unbeaten.
It was a huge night for the quarterback-wide receiver connection as Goff looked Kupp’s way early and often.
Jared Goff followed a 354-yard, 3-TD performance by lighting up the Minnesota Vikings defense on Thursday night.
Goff, 23, completed 26 of his 33 pass attempts (78%) en route to a perfect Passer Rating of 158.3.
The first pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Goff is living up to the billing for the Los Angeles Rams franchise in just his third NFL season as he guides what many feel is the NFL’s best team to new heights.
In a exciting offensive showcase by both teams, the two would combine for 1,002 total yards of offense in a venue that seemed split in terms of crowd noise with Vikings fans making the trip West.
The Rams had three receivers break the 100-yard plateau on the night vs a suddenly scuffling Vikings defense.
It’s the 13th time since the beginning of last season that the Los Angeles Rams have scored 30+ points in a game. They’ve scored at least 33 points in each of their first four games.
In a odd stat, the Rams went 1-for-6 (16%) on third down on a night where they picked up 25 first downs. The Minnesota Vikings went 8-for-16 (50%) on third down while picking up 25 first downs as well.
It wasn’t a penalty plagued game as the Los Angeles Rams committed only two penalties for 15 yards while the Minnesota Vikings picked up four penalties for 35 yards.
The Rams would be forced to punt only 2 times on the night.
Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback Kirk Cousins finished the game with 422 passing yards and 3 TDs. It’s his second game with at least 400+ passing yards and at least 3 TDs this season.
Minnesota failed to establish much on the ground as running back Dalvin Cook finished with a team-high 38 rushing yards on 10 carries.
The 38 points are the most allowed by Mike Zimmer’s Minnesota Vikings since December 24th, 2016 vs the Green Bay Packers when they lost 38-25 at Lambeau Field.
The Vikings got off to an encouraging start as they put together a 13 play/75 yard drive to open the game. Kirk Cousins — who went 6-for-8 with 68 passing yards on the drive — connected with wide receiver Aldrick Robinson on a 16-yard touchdown to go up 7-0 to begin the game.
Going up-tempo, the Rams would respond quickly as they went on a 12 play/75 yard drive that ended in a 8-yard touchdown reception by Todd Gurley.
The Rams would follow their touchdown on their first drive with a long touchdown from wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who beat linebacker Anthony Barr for a 70-yard touchdown to give Los Angeles a 14-10 lead in the second quarter.
The Minnesota Vikings offense wouldn’t back down from the Rams offensive challenge as they continued to exploit a Rams defense that coming in allowed the fewest points in the NFL through three weeks (12.0 PPG).
The Vikings took a 17-14 following another touchdown reception by Aldrick Robinson, who got behind two colliding defensive backs to secure a touchdown in the back of the endzone on a 17-yard touchdown.
Both defenses would give their offenses a much needed breather from having to answer a score as they forced three-and-outs against one another on the next two possessions.
Getting the ball back after the Rams defense would force a three-and-out, the Rams jumped back in front 21-17 after a sensational 19-yard touchdown grab by Cooper Kupp near the right corner of the endzone over double coverage.
The scoring parade for Sean McVay’s Los Angeles Rams would continue as Jared Goff launched a 47-yard touchdown to wide receiver Brandin Cooks before the end of the half, the fourth of the first half for Goff as Los Angeles took a 28-17 lead.
Coming out to begin the third quarter with a 28-20 lead, the Rams would take a gamble on fourth down and fail as a fake punt pass by punter Johnny Hekker fell incomplete which gave the Vikings the ball at their own 36-yard line.
In a quarter in which the offenses slowed after a rapid pace in the first half was established, the third quarter would end with fireworks.
Kirk Cousins and the Vikings would make it a 31-28 game after Cousins found wide receiver Adam Thielen down the seam for a 45-yard touchdown at the 3:44 mark of the third.
Los Angeles, as they did throughout the night, answered the Vikings haymaker with one of their own as two minutes later Jared Goff tossed another touchdown pass, this time to wide receiver Robert Woods on a 31-yard touchdown score to make it a 38-28 game.
The Rams would drive early in the fourth quarter following a punt by the Vikings, but the drive would end in disappointment as kicker Sam Ficken missed a 28-yard field goal to keep it a 38-28 game.
The Vikings would make it a 38-31 game with at the 3:46 mark of the fourth quarter following a 40-yard field goal by Dan Bailey.
The Rams would fail to ice the game, allowing the Vikings an opportunity to have the football back with a chance to tie.
On the Rams first play from scrimmage before the two minute warning Kirk Cousins would be sacked for the third time in the fourth quarter as defensive tackle Aaron Donald knifed through for his second sack of the quarter.
After the Vikings converted a 3rd and 9 play, rookie John Franklin-Myers would beat left tackle Riley Reiff off the edge for a strip sack of Kirk Cousins that would be recovered by the Rams and allow Los Angeles to walk away with the victory.
A Minnesota Vikings defense that finished 1st in the NFL in points allowed has taken a major step back to begin the 2018 season.
Minnesota allowed only 15.7 PPG a season ago, but through the first four games of 2018 are allowing 27.5 PPG, 22nd in the NFL.
While the Vikings offense fought to stay in the game to the bitter end after not showing up last Sunday vs the Buffalo Bills, they too have questions on offense.
Minnesota is abandoning the run, putting it in Kirk Cousins’ hands far too often to find the Vikings playmakers which before tonight consisted of only Steffon Diggs and Adam Thielen in terms of production.
The Vikings 74.6 percent pass rate on Thursday night is an improvement over last Sunday’s 90 percent pass rate, but still is far too unbalanced for a team that last season under different direction had success being a balanced team.
Minnesota will have 10 days to prepare for a NFC Championship rematch with the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
For the Los Angeles Rams, you expect to score with your wide array of offensive firepower and offensive schemes. That’s exactly what Los Angeles does under head coach Sean McVay, who since becoming the head coach last season has transformed the Rams into offensive juggernauts.
It was a night in which Todd Gurley’s 156 yards from scrimmage were a mere foot note because of how dynamic this offense is at every turn.
The questions for the Los Angeles Rams coming in were on the defensive side of the ball.
The Los Angeles Rams defense — limping into the game with injuries at cornerback — was tested vs the Minnesota Vikings, who were embarrassed in their previous game 27-6 at home vs the Buffalo Bills.
The Rams suffered a big blow to their secondary after cornerback Aqib Talib was placed on IR this week after suffering a ankle injury vs the Los Angeles Chargers last Sunday that required surgery.
While Marcus Peters played on after suffering a calf injury vs the Los Angeles Chargers last Sunday, he looked a step behind in coverage as he gave up plays throughout a high-scoring game.
With Talib out for at least 8 weeks but eligible to return later in the season, the Rams will have to rely on cornerbacks Nickell Robey-Coleman and Sam Shields.
Sam Shields, filling in for Aqib Talib, struggled mightily on the night as he surrendered two touchdowns on the night. That’s a issue that Sean McVay and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will have to make adjustments to in the coming weeks.
While the pass rush came to life late when it had to, the Rams aren’t consistently disrupting a quarterback’s timing in the pocket. The Rams are not blitzing as much as they did in 2017, and it’s likely that will only continue with the injuries in the secondary.
If that’s the case, the Rams at least have encouraging signs based off the fourth quarter in which they got to Kirk Cousins four times for sacks after zero in the first 45 minutes of the game.
The Los Angeles Rams are 4-0 for the first time since 2001, a season in which they advanced to the Super Bowl.
Jared Goff’s 465 passing yards are the most all-time in a Thursday night game.
They will have 10 days to prepare for a visit to CenturyLink Field vs the Seattle Seahawks.
What are your thoughts on the Los Angeles Rams victory on Thursday night? Leave your comments below!
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