PurplePTSD: The Rams Did Their Best Vikings Impression, Failing In The End

Press release from the PurplePTSD:

K. Joudry

2022-01-24

There’s a pretty reasonable argument that the Minnesota Vikings were among the NFL’s preeminent first quarter teams. The issue, of course, is that the game is comprised of four quarters, a reality that the Vikings seemed to repeatedly forget. On Sunday, the Rams tried to mimic Minnesota by doing a Vikings impression.

The end of the opening half foreshadowed the stress that was to come. With a rock-solid – but far from insurmountable – 20-3 lead, the Rams were looking to end the game before the second half arrived. A TD to make it 27-3 would have been close to too much for even Tom Brady. Everyone remembers the 28-3 comeback, and yet there’s a reason why it doesn’t happen often.

Cam Akers had other plans. Why win the game comfortably when one can ensure everyone feels unusual amounts of stress? That’s the Vikings way. Indeed, this is where the Rams’ Vikings impression began to emerge. The Akers fumble allowed TB (both the team and individual player) to stay in the game.

The crazy thing is that the Rams still had a formidable lead for a good portion of the third quarter. Three score leads are worth their weight in gold during the playoffs. All a team needs to do is possess the football for a long portion of time. Heck, adding on more points would also help, though it usually isn’t even necessary.

What actually happened, though, was reminiscent of our purple friends. Critical fumbles, a missed FG, and an anemic, timid offense. All the critical factors were there.

Rather than bringing their Vikings impression to completion, the Rams instead opted to become clutch. Take a peak at Matthew Stafford finding his WR1 Cooper Kupp with a massive catch to set up the game-winning FG:

A genuine copy of Vikings football would have involved an INT in that moment, or at least a sack on the QB. Alas, the Rams failed in their apparent effort to copy the Vikings.

Part of what makes all of this so ironic is that Todd Bowles called a blitz on the final play, thereby allowing Kupp to have far too much room to operate. As it stands, it looks like Bowles is one of the leading candidates for the Vikings HC job. Perhaps he’ll be the one who takes over the team with a fanbase that is weary and discouraged by all letdown.

This press release was produced by the PurplePTSD. The views expressed here are the author’s own.