The Rams–Vikings rivalry is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings.
The rivalry was most heated in the 1970s when the Vikings and Rams faced off in many consequential playoff games. To date, with eight games, the Vikings are the Rams' second-most-played playoff opponent and the Rams are the most played playoff opponent for the Vikings.
The Vikings lead the overall series, 27–20–1. The two teams have met eight times in the playoffs, with the Vikings holding a 5–3 lead.
Notable moments and games The 1972 game was the highest-scoring game of the year for both of those teams, as Fran Tarkenton of the Vikings threw for 319 yards and four touchdowns. For his part, Roman Gabriel of the Rams would complete 25 passes in the game, which at that time was his second-highest career total ever in that category. Playing inside a mud-soaked Los Angeles Coliseum in the divisional round of the '77 playoffs, the Vikings jumped out to a 14–0 lead before holding on for a 14–7 victory. Despite the mud, both teams found considerable traction in their running games. Rams running back Lawrence McCutcheon and Vikings running back Chuck Foreman each rushing for over 100 yards. In 1985, it was a defensive battle, as all of the first half scoring came on two Rams field goals to give them a 6–0 lead. Eric Dickerson then scored a touchdown in the third quarter to make it 13–0. The Vikings mounted a bit of a comeback, scoring on a Ted Brown touchdown run and a Jan Stenerud field goal, but it wasn't quite enough as the Rams held on to win 13–10. In 2015, the Vikings defeated the Rams 21–18 in overtime following an illegal hit to Minnesota quarterback Teddy Bridgewater by Rams' cornerback Lamarcus Joyner. Mike Zimmer famously declined receiving the ball in overtime after winning the toss due to favorable wind conditions for a possible game-winning kick. The Vikings ended up stopping the Rams, getting the ball, and kicking a game winning field goal.
Connections between the two teams Shortly after the Rams won Super Bowl LVI, the Vikings hired Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell as their new head coach following the firing of Zimmer at the end of the season. O'Connell brought several assistants from the Rams to work with him in Minnesota, with the most notable one being current Vikings offensive coordinator and former Rams tight end coach Wes Phillips.
Season-by-season results
|style="| Rams 31–17 |style="| Vikings 42–21 | Tie 1–1 | Vikings join the National Football League (NFL) as an expansion team and are placed in the Western Conference.
|style="| |style="| Vikings 38–14 | Tie 24–24 | Vikings 2–1–1 | Game in Los Angeles is the Vikings' first road win in franchise history. It would also be their only road win in the 1962 season.Vikings record their first tie result.
|style="| Rams 27–24 |style="| Vikings 21–13 | Vikings 3–2–1 | Rams ended an 11-game home losing streak with their win.
|style="| Rams 22–13 |style="| Vikings 34–13 | Vikings 4–3–1
|style="| |style="| Vikings 38–35 |style="| Vikings 24–13 | Vikings 6–3–1
|style="| Rams 21–6 |style="| Vikings 35–7 | Vikings 7–4–1
|style=" | |style="| Rams 39–3 | | Vikings 7–5–1 | As a result of expansion, the two eight-team divisions became two eight-team conferences split into two divisions, with the Rams placed in the NFL Coastal and the Vikings placed in the NFC Central.
|style="| | |style="| Rams 31–3 | Vikings 7–6–1 | After their home loss to the Rams, the Vikings went on a 16-game home winning streak.
|style="| |style="| Vikings 20–13 | | Vikings 8–6–1 | Vikings’ win handed the Rams their first loss of the season after an 11–0 start.Rams lost their final three regular-season games, setting up a playoff matchup at Minnesota against the Vikings. |- ! 1969 Playoffs !style="| ! !style="| Vikings 23–20 ! Vikings 9–6–1 | NFL Western Conference Championship Game.Vikings lose Super Bowl IV.
|style="| Vikings 13–3 | Metropolitan Stadium | Vikings 10–6–1 | As a result of the AFL–NFL merger, the Rams were placed in the NFC West and the Vikings were placed in the NFC North.
|style="| Vikings 45–41 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Vikings 11–6–1
|style="| Vikings 10–9 | Metropolitan Stadium | Vikings 12–6–1 | Vikings lose Super Bowl VIII.
|style="| Rams 20–17 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Vikings 12–7–1 | Rams' win is the Vikings only regular season road loss in the 1974 season. |- ! 1974 Playoffs !style="| Vikings 14–10 ! Metropolitan Stadium ! Vikings 13–7–1 ! NFC Championship Game.Vikings lose Super Bowl IX.
| Tie 10–10 | Metropolitan Stadium | Vikings 13–7–2
! 1976 Playoffs !style="| Vikings 24–13 ! Metropolitan Stadium ! Vikings 14–7–2 ! NFC Championship Game.Vikings lose Super Bowl XI.
|style="| Rams 35–3 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Vikings 14–8–2
! 1977 Playoffs !style="| Vikings 14–7 ! Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum ! Vikings 15–8–2 ! NFC Divisional Round.
|style="| Rams 34–17 | Metropolitan Stadium | Vikings 15–9–2 | Final meeting at Metropolitan Stadium. |- ! 1978 Playoffs !style="| Rams 34–10 ! Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum ! Vikings 15–10–2 ! NFC Divisional Round.
|style="| Rams 27–21(OT) | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Vikings 15–11–2 | Final meeting at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum until the 2018 season, as the Rams move to Anaheim Stadium the following season.Rams lose Super Bowl XIV.
|style="| Rams 13–10 | Anaheim Stadium | Vikings 15–12–2 | First meeting at Anaheim Stadium.
|style="| Vikings 21–16 | Anaheim Stadium | Vikings 16–12–2 |- ! 1988 Playoffs !style="| Vikings 28–17 ! Metrodome ! Vikings 17–12–2 ! NFC Wild Card Game.First meeting at the Metrodome.
|style="| Vikings 23–21(OT) | Metrodome | Vikings 18–12–2 | First game in NFL history to be decided in overtime on a safety.
|style="| Vikings 20–14 | Metrodome | Vikings 19–12–2
|style="| Vikings 31–17 | Anaheim Stadium | Vikings 20–12–2 | Final meeting at Anaheim Stadium. Last season until the 2016 season the Vikings faced the Rams as a Los Angeles-based team, as the Rams would relocate to St. Louis in the 1995 season.
|style="| Vikings 38–31 | Trans World Dome | Vikings 21–12–2 | First meeting at Trans World Dome and in St. Louis. |- ! 1999 Playoffs !style="| Rams 49–37 ! Trans World Dome ! Vikings 21–13–2 ! NFC Divisional Round.Rams win Super Bowl XXXIV.
|style="| Rams 40–29 | Trans World Dome | Vikings 21–14–2 | Starting with the loss to the Rams, the Vikings went on a 17-game road losing streak.
|style="| Rams 48–17 | Edward Jones Dome | Vikings 21–15–2
|style="| Vikings 27–13 | Metrodome | Vikings 22–15–2
|style="| Rams 41–21 | Metrodome | Vikings 22–16–2 | Final meeting at the Metrodome.
|style="| Vikings 38–10 | Edward Jones Dome | Vikings 23–16–2
|style="| Vikings 36–22 | Edward Jones Dome | Vikings 24–16–2
|style="| Vikings 34–6 | Edward Jones Dome | Vikings 25–16–2 | Final meeting at Edward Jones Dome.
|style="| Vikings 21–18(OT) | TCF Bank Stadium | Vikings 26–16–2 | First meeting at TCF Bank Stadium.Last season Vikings faced the Rams as a St. Louis-based team, as the Rams would relocate back to Los Angeles the following season.
|style="| Vikings 24–7 | U.S. Bank Stadium | Vikings 27–16–2 | First meeting at US Bank Stadium.
|style="| Rams 38–31 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Vikings 27–17–2 | Rams temporarily play at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum while SoFi Stadium is under construction.
|style="| Rams 30–23 | U.S. Bank Stadium | Vikings 27–18–2 | Rams win Super Bowl LVI.Following the season's end, the Vikings hired Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell to serve as their next head coach.
|style="| Rams 30–20 | SoFi Stadium | Vikings 27–19–2 | First meeting at SoFi Stadium. |- ! 2024 Playoffs !style="| Rams 27–9 ! State Farm Stadium ! Vikings 27–20–2 ! NFC Wild Card Round.Due to wildfires in southern California, the Rams' home game was moved to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
| Regular season |style="| | Rams 13–10 | Vikings 12–4–2
| Postseason |style="| | Rams 3–1 | Vikings 4–0 | NFL Western Championship: 1969NFC Wild Card: 1988, 2024NFC Divisional: 1977, 1978, 1999NFC Championship: 1974, 1976 |- | Regular and postseason |style="| | Rams 16–11 | Vikings 16–4–2 | Vikings have a 4–3 record in St. Louis. Rams currently have a 12–7 record in Los Angeles. Rams are 1–0 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, officially a Rams home game.
References