Vikings-Rams Snapshot

Get the team rankings, keys to the game, fast facts and personnel news surrounding the Vikings-Rams regular-season finale.

Sunday
Carolina Panthers (7-8) at New Orleans Saints
Cleveland Browns (4-11) at Houston Texans (5-10)
Detroit Lions (2-13) at Dallas Cowboys (9-6)
Jacksonville Jaguars (8-7) at Kansas City Chiefs (8-7)
New England Patriots (11-4) at Tennessee Titans (8-7)
Oakland Raiders (2-13) at New York Jets (9-6)
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-8) at Cincinnati Bengals (8-7)
Seattle Seahawks (8-7) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-13)
St. Louis Rams (7-8) at Minnesota Vikings (6-9)
Arizona Cardinals (5-10) at San Diego Chargers (13-2)
Atlanta Falcons (7-8) at Philadelphia Eagles (9-6)
Buffalo Bills (7-8) at Baltimore Ravens (12-3)
Miami Dolphins (6-9) at Indianapolis Colts (11-4)
San Francisco 49ers (6-9) at Denver Broncos (9-6)
Green Bay Packers (7-8) at Chicago Bears (13-2)


St. Louis Rams (7-8) at Minnesota Vikings (6-9)
KICKOFF: Sunday, 1:00 ET
GAMEDATE: 1/21/06
SURFACE: FieldTurf
TV: FOX, Dan McLaughlin, Tony Boselli

2006 RANKINGS

Rams: offense 6th (19th rush, 4th pass); defense 22nd (31st rush, 8th pass).

Vikings: offense 18th (16th rush, 19th pass); defense 8th (1st rush, 32nd pass)


KEYS TO THE GAME

The Rams don’t want to get too one-sided offensively, but they also won’t be stubborn if RB Steven Jackson isn’t able to make much headway against the league’s top-ranked run defense.

The Vikings are without CBs Fred Smoot and rookie Cedric Griffin and figure to be very vulnerable to the Rams’ passing attack.

The other major problem for the Vikings is they certainly can’t afford to get caught up in a shootout in rookie QB Tarvaris Jackson’s first career home start. While possessing great physical tools, Jackson is very raw and his receivers continue to drop too many passes for the passing game to be effective. So the Rams can expect to see plenty of RB Chester Taylor charging at their 31st-ranked run defense. But eventually Jackson will need to make a few plays downfield to prevent St. Louis from sending eight and nine men in the box to stop Taylor.


FAST FACTS

Rams: Coach Scott Linehan was Minnesota’s offensive coordinator/QB coach from 2002-04. ... QB Marc Bulger (4,053) has his first 4,000-yard season.

Vikings: Taylor needs 115 rushing yards to join Robert Smith (1,521, 2000) as the team’s only 1,300-yard rushers. ... Taylor needs five carries to break Smith’s single-season team record of 295 in 2000.

PERSONNEL NEWS

Rams

WR Torry Holt, who did not practice Wednesday but wasn’t listed on the injury report, practiced Thursday. Missing Wednesday’s work was merely rest for a sore knee. “He’s fine; it’s absolutely nothing,” coach Scott Linehan said.

P Matt Turk had an infection examined out on his non-punting leg, but everything checked out fine. Coach Scott Linehan said doctors just wanted to make sure it wasn’t a staph infection.

DE Victor Adeyanju is practicing with a smaller cast on his right arm in hopes he will be more comfortable this week after participating in 15 plays last week.

FB Paul Smith remains doubtful because of a neck injury. If Smith doesn’t play this week, it would be his sixth missed game this season.

LB Will Witherspoon hasn’t missed time because of his sore knee, but the injury has affected his effectiveness in the last half of the season.

Vikings

QB Brooks Bollinger was upgraded to probable on the injury report Thursday after being listed as questionable a day earlier. He suffered a separated left shoulder earlier this month.

P Chris Kluwe was upgraded to probable and should be fine for Sunday’s game despite a hamstring injury he suffered last Thursday at Green Bay.

WR Troy Williamson (hamstring) has been upgraded to probable for Sunday.

FB Jeff Dugan has a sprained foot but is listed as probable on the injury report.

LB Napoleon Harris continues to be listed as probable because of a dislocated left wrist that has required him to wear a cast while playing.

RB Chester Taylor still has sore ribs but has played in the past two games and is listed as probable.

QB Tarvaris Jackson has a knee injury but is probable and will start again Sunday against the Rams.

TE Jim Kleinsasser has a hyperextended elbow but is listed as probable.