Rams vs Vikings: 6 things to know for NFL Week 4...

Rams vs. Vikings: 6 things to know for NFL Week 4

Cameron DaSilva

[theramswire.usatoday.com]

For the 46th time, the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings will square off on Thursday night. The short week makes preparation difficult for Sean McVay and Mike Zimmer.

This will be a pivotal game for the Vikings, and a good barometer for the 3-0 Rams. Here are three things to know for this Week 4 matchup.


Vikings lead all-time series 27-16-2

The Rams have not had much success against the Vikings, losing 27 of 45 contests. Their most recent meeting, of course, came last season when the Vikings blew out a rising Los Angeles team 24-7 at U.S. Bank Stadium. In fact, Minnesota has won five straight against the Rams, but this will be the first matchup in Los Angeles since 1987.

Ndamukong Suh has 6.5 sacks in nine games vs. Minnesota

Playing the first five years of his career in Detroit, Suh is used to playing the Vikings. He’s faced them nine times since coming into the NFL in 2010 and has more sacks against them than all but one other team. In 10 career games against the Bears, he has eight sacks. Otherwise, the Vikings are the team he has the most sacks against, racking up 6.5 sacks and 28 tackles.

Rams backup RB has more yards than Vikings’ leading rusher

The Vikings were without Dalvin Cook on Sunday in their loss to the Bills, so he’s been limited to just 26 carries this season. Even so, he’s gained only 78 yards on the ground, which averages out to 3 yards per carry. For comparison, backup RB Malcolm Brown has 93 yards on just 18 attempts, which is 15 more yards than Cook has despite carrying it eight fewer times. Todd Gurley, on the other hand, has 255 yards on 62 carries.


By: Cameron DaSilva | September 25, 2018 1:54 pm ET


Danielle Hunter has just one fewer sack than all Rams combined

For as much hype as the Rams’ pass rush generated this offseason, it’s translated to very few sacks. They have only four sacks in three games, which is tied for the second-fewest in the NFL. Only the Raiders (3) have fewer than the Rams, Patriots and Giants. The Vikings have 10 sacks, three of which have come from Hunter alone. With Everson Griffen’s situation murky, Hunter is clearly the Vikings’ best pass rusher.

Sean McVay spent three years as Kirk Cousins’ OC

The Vikings gave Cousins $84 million guaranteed this offseason after he spent two years on the franchise tag with the Redskins. McVay was there for one of those seasons and three years total with Cousins at the helm. He’s very familiar with the quarterback’s game after helping Cousins throw 29 touchdown passes and just 11 interceptions in 2015.

Brandin Cooks has 2 fewer yards than Adam Thielen on 13 fewer catches

Cooks has been everything the Rams expected and more, catching 19 passes for 336 yards in his first three games. He ranks fifth in receiving yards in the NFL this season, just 2 yards behind Thielen. The biggest difference is Thielen has caught 32 passes compared to Cooks’ 19. That’s a difference of 7.1 yards per reception, which is a huge amount. No player in the NFL has been targeted more than Thielen’s 44.