The Vikings defense didn’t allow another point after the Rams’ field goal midway through the third, but it didn’t matter. Its counterpart couldn’t get anything going. The Vikings ran out much of the fourth-quarter clock on themselves on their second-to-last drive, playing with little urgency down 18 points and holding on to the ball for 7 minutes  25 seconds and coming up without any points to show for it. 

Darnold tried airing one out to Justin Jefferson deep right near the end zone on fourth-and-11, but it fell incomplete with Jefferson in double coverage. He heaved one to Jordan Addison on the final drive that also fell incomplete, though Addison was closer to catching it. And the Rams couldn’t let Darnold leave without one last sack. He was brought down nine times.

 Minnesota’s season ends with a 27-9 loss in the wild-card round to the Rams. The Vikings have yet to win a playoff game under Kevin O’Connell.

The Rams sacked Sam Darnold for the ninth time tonight. That's the most by a Vikings quarterback in a playoff game, eclipsing Washington's eight sacks on Wade Wilson in the 1987 NFC Championship game.

The NFL record for sacks in a playoff game is nine. The last time it happened was in the 2021 season, and it happened to Bengals QB Joe Burrow against the Titans in the divisional round. Cincinnati won that game, went to the Super Bowl and lost to Sean McVay and Kevin O'Connell's Rams. 

 The NFL record for sacks in a playoff game is nine, in case you were wondering... 

Right tackle Brian O'Neill is out of the medical tent without his helmet, and headed to the locker room with the medical staff. He is being evaluated for a concussion. 

Brian O'Neill and Jared Verse's helmets collided on that Sam Darnold scramble, which netted the Vikings 32 yards after the roughing penalty on Kamren Kichens. O'Neill is in the medical tent now, with David Quessenberry -- who filled in for the injured Christian Darrisaw in the first Rams game -- at right tackle.

There’s a little life from the Vikings offense. After starting at their own 38-yard line, Sam Darnold hit Jalen Nailor twice for pickups of 14 and 12 yards. He then found T.J. Hockenson, who took it in on his feet to for a 26-yard score. The Vikings get their first touchdown of the game here late in the third quarter. 

The Vikings tried for a two-point conversion, but Justin Jefferson was stopped short of the goal line.

When he hasn’t been sacked, Darnold has managed to connect with receivers much better than last game. He’s 17-of-25 for 180 yards. Jefferson has caught five of seven targets for 58 yards, and Hockenson’s 4-of-4 for 54.