Final2021 Week 16

U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN

Los Angeles Rams vs Minnesota Vikings, Week 16 2021

Los Angeles Rams

AwayWon

30

Minnesota Vikings

Home

23

Scoring by quarter
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Final
Rams7671030
Vikings03101023

LAR 30MIN 23 Final

  • Passing leader

    Kirk Cousins

    MIN · QB

    17.3PPR pts

    27/38, 315 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT

  • Top fantasy scorer

    Cooper Kupp

    LAR · WR

    21.3PPR pts

    10 REC, 109 YDS

  • Vikings leader

    Justin Jefferson

    MIN · WR

    19.6PPR pts

    8 REC, 116 YDS

  • Defensive playmaker

    Brandon Powell

    LAR · WR

    1 TD

Rams 30, Vikings 23: Los Angeles beats Minnesota

Los Angeles led 13–3 at halftime and won 30–23, though Minnesota took the second half 20–17. Minnesota outgained the Rams 361–356.

The Vikings went 2-for-12 on third down and committed one turnover.

Key advantages

  • +33% third-down rate LAR 50% · MIN 17%

Game Highlights

Official NFL highlights · Opens from YouTube

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Why the Rams Won

Los Angeles won the third-down battle.

Team stats comparison, Rams vs Vikings
RamsStatVikings
50%Third-down conversion17%
Other team stats
356Total yards361
5.1Yards per play5.7
70Plays63
3Turnovers1
30:00Time of possession30:00

Scoring Summary

The Rams scored three touchdowns and three field goals; the Vikings scored two touchdowns and three field goals.

Scoring plays, Rams vs Vikings
TimeTeamPlayLARMIN
1st quarter
7:13LARSony Michel 1-yard TD run Takes leadMatt Gay XP70
2nd quarter
6:37LARMatt Gay 32-yard FG Extends lead100
2:34MINGreg Joseph 23-yard FG103
0:11LARMatt Gay 31-yard FG Extends lead133
3rd quarter
11:01MINAlexander Mattison 2-yard TD runGreg Joseph XP1310
7:06LARBrandon Powell 61-yard punt return TD Extends leadMatt Gay XP2010
1:31MINGreg Joseph 24-yard FG2013
4th quarter
11:37LARMatthew Stafford → Odell Beckham Jr., 7-yard TD Extends leadMatt Gay XP2713
8:21MINKirk Cousins → K.J. Osborn, 6-yard TDGreg Joseph XP2720
2:03LARMatt Gay 24-yard FG Extends lead3020
0:32MINGreg Joseph 44-yard FG3023

Fantasy Points: Rams vs Vikings, Week 16 2021

Fantasy leaders

  1. Cooper KuppLARWR21.3 PTSWR11
  2. Sony MichelLARRB20.5 PTSRB8
  3. Justin JeffersonMINWR19.6 PTSWR13
  4. K.J. OsbornMINWR17.8 PTSWR16

Player Stats

Quarterbacks

Quarterback statistics
PlayerFPTSFINCMP/ATTPass YDSTDINTRush ATTRush YDSRush TDRateStart/Sit
Kirk CousinsMINQB14.3QB1827/3831511417093.6Start/Sit →
Matthew StaffordLARQB8.7QB2421/371971338046.8Start/Sit →

WRs, RBs, & TEs

Receiver, running back and tight end statistics
PlayerFPTSFINPOSRush ATTRush YDSRush TDTGTRECRec YDSRec TDStart/Sit
Cooper KuppLARWR21.3WR11WR14013101090Start/Sit →
Sony MichelLARRB20.5RB8RB2713114140
Justin JeffersonMINWR19.6WR13WR———1281160Start/Sit →
K.J. OsbornMINWR17.8WR16WR———75681Start/Sit →
Alexander MattisonMINRB16.0RB13RB1341143290
Odell BeckhamLARWR13.7WR30WR———84371
Tyler HigbeeLARTE9.1TE14TE———65410Start/Sit →
Tyler ConklinMINTE8.4TE19TE———54440Start/Sit →
Adam ThielenMINWR7.0WR65WR———33400
Kene NwangwuMINRB3.3RB60RB5802250Start/Sit →
Darrell HendersonLARRB1.7RB71RB1170————
Van JeffersonLARWR1.6WR106WR———6160
Jake FunkLARRB-0.1—RB1-10————

Fantasy Usage

Los Angeles Rams

Snap Share

  1. Cooper KuppWR68 snaps97%
  2. Van JeffersonWR67 snaps96%
  3. Odell BeckhamWR64 snaps91%
  4. Tyler HigbeeTE64 snaps91%
  5. Sony MichelRB63 snaps90%

Target Share37 targets

  1. Cooper Kupp35%, 13 targets
  2. Odell Beckham22%, 8 targets
  3. Tyler Higbee16%, 6 targets
  4. Van Jefferson16%, 6 targets
  5. Sony Michel11%, 4 targets

Carry Share33 carries

  1. Sony Michel82%, 27 carries
  2. Matthew Stafford9%, 3 carries
  3. Cooper Kupp3%, 1 carries
  4. Darrell Henderson3%, 1 carries
  5. Jake Funk3%, 1 carries

Minnesota Vikings

Snap Share

  1. Tyler ConklinTE61 snaps97%
  2. Justin JeffersonWR61 snaps97%
  3. K.J. OsbornWR50 snaps79%
  4. Alexander MattisonRB47 snaps75%
  5. Dede WestbrookWR27 snaps43%

Target Share33 targets

  1. Justin Jefferson36%, 12 targets
  2. K.J. Osborn21%, 7 targets
  3. Tyler Conklin15%, 5 targets
  4. Alexander Mattison12%, 4 targets
  5. Adam Thielen9%, 3 targets
  6. Other6%, 2 targets

Carry Share22 carries

  1. Alexander Mattison59%, 13 carries
  2. Kene Nwangwu23%, 5 carries
  3. Kirk Cousins18%, 4 carries
View full usage tableHide full usage table
Offensive snaps and share for the skill positions
PlayerSNAPSSNAP %TGTTGT %CAR
Cooper KuppLARWR6897%1335%1
Tyler ConklinMINTE6197%515%0
Justin JeffersonMINWR6197%1236%0
Van JeffersonLARWR6796%616%0
Odell BeckhamLARWR6491%822%0
Tyler HigbeeLARTE6491%616%0
Sony MichelLARRB6390%411%27
K.J. OsbornMINWR5079%721%0
Alexander MattisonMINRB4775%412%13
Dede WestbrookMINWR2743%00%0
Adam ThielenMINWR2337%39%0
Kene NwangwuMINRB1219%26%5
Kendall BlantonLARTE811%00%0
Chris HerndonMINTE610%00%0
Darrell HendersonLARRB57%00%1
Luke StockerMINTE46%00%0
Ben SkowronekLARWR46%00%0
Brycen HopkinsLARTE34%00%0
Jake FunkLARRB23%00%1
Dan ChisenaMINWR12%00%0
Brandon PowellLARWR11%00%0

Fantasy Points vs Expected

Expected points (xFP) are what a player's pass attempts, carries and targets are worth at the league's average rates; the difference is what the player made of them.

  • Biggest overperformer+6.0K.J. Osborn17.8 PTS vs 11.8 xFP
  • Biggest underperformer−8.5Matthew Stafford9.7 PTS vs 18.2 xFP
  • Highest expected volume24.1 xFPSony Michel20.5 PTS scored
Usage and expected fantasy points
PlayerPTSxFPvs xFPSnap%UsageRte%Pass attCarCar%TgtTgt%
Sony MichelLAR · RB20.524.1−3.690%82% car—02782%411%
Cooper KuppLAR · WR21.322.5−1.297%35% tgt—013%1335%
Justin JeffersonMIN · WR19.620.2−0.697%34% tgt—000%1234%
Kirk CousinsMIN · QB17.319.3−2.0100%38 att—38418%00%
Matthew StaffordLAR · QB9.718.2−8.5100%37 att—3739%00%
Alexander MattisonMIN · RB16.015.1+0.975%59% car—01359%411%
Odell Beckham Jr.LAR · WR13.713.5+0.291%22% tgt—000%822%
K.J. OsbornMIN · WR17.811.8+6.079%20% tgt—000%720%
Tyler HigbeeLAR · TE9.110.1−1.091%16% tgt—000%616%
Van JeffersonLAR · WR1.610.1−8.596%16% tgt—000%616%
Tyler ConklinMIN · TE8.48.40.097%14% tgt—000%514%
Kene NwangwuMIN · RB3.36.6−3.319%23% car—0523%26%
Adam ThielenMIN · WR7.05.1+1.937%9% tgt—000%39%
C.J. HamMIN · RB3.33.4−0.1—6% tgt—000%26%
Darrell Henderson Jr.LAR · RB1.70.6+1.17%3% car—013%00%
Jake FunkLAR · RB-0.10.6−0.73%3% car—013%00%

Team totals: Rams 37 targets and 33 carries; Vikings 35 targets and 22 carries. Shares are from the box score. Snap counts are from the weekly player logs (Sleeper), and include plays wiped out by penalties. Route counts, air yards and red-zone touches appear when the tracking feed is connected. League-average rates from the 2021 season: 1.68 PPR points per target (67% catch rate), 0.64 per carry and 0.44 per pass attempt. They don't adjust for field position or target depth.

Fantasy Verdicts

Matthew Stafford Unlucky

LAR · QB · 9.7 pts on 18.2 expected

21 of 37 passing for 197 yards, 1 touchdown, 3 interceptions; 3 carries for 8 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 18.2 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Start/Sit: Matthew Stafford →

Kirk Cousins

MIN · QB · 17.3 pts on 19.3 expected

27 of 38 passing for 315 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception; 4 carries for 17 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 19.3 expected.

Start/Sit: Kirk Cousins →

Sony Michel Volume, no payoff

LAR · RB · 20.5 pts on 24.1 expected

4 targets (11% of the team's), 1 catch for 4 yards; 27 carries (82% of the team's) for 131 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 24.1 expected.

Cooper Kupp Volume, no payoff

LAR · WR · 21.3 pts on 22.5 expected

13 targets (35% of the team's), 10 catches for 109 yards; 1 carry (3% of the team's) for 4 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 22.5 expected.

Start/Sit: Cooper Kupp →

Justin Jefferson Volume, no payoff

MIN · WR · 19.6 pts on 20.2 expected

12 targets (34% of the team's), 8 catches for 116 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 20.2 expected.

Start/Sit: Justin Jefferson →

Alexander Mattison

MIN · RB · 16.0 pts on 15.1 expected

4 targets (11% of the team's), 3 catches for 29 yards; 13 carries (59% of the team's) for 41 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 15.1 expected.

K.J. Osborn Ran hot

MIN · WR · 17.8 pts on 11.8 expected

7 targets (20% of the team's), 5 catches for 68 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 11.8 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Start/Sit: K.J. Osborn →

Van Jefferson Unlucky

LAR · WR · 1.6 pts on 10.1 expected

6 targets (16% of the team's), 1 catch for 6 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 10.1 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Stock Up, Stock Down

Los Angeles Rams

  • Stock up: Sony Michel led the backfield with 90% of the snaps after trailing Darrell Henderson Jr. before this game.
  • Stock up: Odell Beckham Jr. played 91% of the snaps, up from a 67% season average.
  • Stock down: Darrell Henderson Jr. lost the backfield lead: 7% of the snaps to Sony Michel's 90%.

Minnesota Vikings

  • Stock up: Alexander Mattison played 75% of the snaps, up from a 32% season average.
  • Stock up: Tyler Conklin played 97% of the snaps, up from a 80% season average.
  • Stock down: Adam Thielen played 37% of the snaps, down from a 88% season average.

Fantasy Matchups

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, 2021 through Week 18.

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, Rams defense and Vikings defense
Points allowed toRams DVikings D
QBs16.018.5
RBs20.924.5
WRs36.540.5
TEs11.910.4

Regular season, summed from each game's box score and scored with this page's rules.

How the Game Swung

Minnesota opened at 41% win probability and fell below 2% in the fourth quarter.

Vikings win probability

Vikings win probability by game minuteVikings started at 41%, stood at 11% at halftime and finished at 0%, across 11 scoring plays.Q1Q2Q3Q4100%50%0%

Key Swings

  1. −20Michel 1-yd TD run42% → 22%Q1 7:13
  2. −7Gay 32-yd FG20% → 13%Q2 6:37
  3. +21Mattison 2-yd TD run10% → 31%Q3 11:01
  4. −22Powell 61-yd TD31% → 9%Q3 7:06
  5. −9Stafford → Beckham, 7-yd TD10% → 1%Q4 11:37

Swing in Vikings win probability, in points

Play Calling and Possessions

Play calling, Rams vs Vikings
Los Angeles RamsMeasureMinnesota Vikings
70Plays63
53%Pass rate65%
5.3Yds / dropback7.2
4.8Yds / carry3.0
7/14Third downs2/12

Efficiency edge Los Angeles ran 7 more plays and gained 1.8 more yards per carry.

  • Top targets
  • LAR Kupp 35% · Beckham 22% · Higbee 16%
  • MIN Jefferson 34% · Osborn 20% · Conklin 14%

Possession Results

How each possession ended, Rams vs Vikings
ResultLARMIN
Touchdowns22
Field goals33
Punts25
Turnovers31

MIN turnover edge: +2

  • The Rams opened the scoring on their first possession, a 12-play, 70-yard drive that ended in a touchdown.
  • The Rams drained the clock with two second-half drives of four to seven minutes.
All 23 possessions, drive by drive
Drive chart
TeamStartPlaysYardsTimeResult
MINQ1 15:00382:03Punt
LARQ1 12:5712705:44Touchdown
MINQ1 7:1312847:06Interception
LARQ1 0:07380:50Punt
MINQ2 14:174152:09Punt
LARQ2 12:0810565:31Field goal
MINQ2 6:37331:37Punt
LARQ2 5:00340:58Interception
MINQ2 4:02471:28Field goal
LARQ2 2:3413622:23Field goal
MINQ2 0:11380:11End of half
LARQ3 15:00250:55Interception
MINQ3 14:056112:46Punt
LARQ3 11:19200:12Interception
MINQ3 11:07120:06Touchdown
LARQ3 11:01381:43Punt
MINQ3 9:18392:12Punt
MINQ3 7:0612835:35Field goal
LARQ3 1:3111754:54Touchdown
MINQ4 11:377753:16Touchdown
LARQ4 8:2113696:18Field goal
MINQ4 2:038491:31Field goal
LARQ4 0:321-10:32End of game
About these numbers

Possessions that ended with the clock running out at the half or the end of the game aren't counted.

Personnel groupings, average depth of target and pass rate over expected appear when the tracking feed is connected.

Rams vs Vikings Head-to-Head

The Rams and Vikings first met in 1961 and have played 49 times since.

All-time series
27–20–2Vikings lead, 49 meetings since 1961
Postseason
5–3Split 5–3
Largest Rams win
39–31967
Largest Vikings win
34–62014

Since 2021

3–0 Rams lead

3 meetings since the 2021 season, regular season and playoffs.

Oldest to newest. R = Rams win, V = Vikings win, outlined = this game.

Recent Meetings

Season to Date (Through Week 18)

The 2021 regular season, from each game's box score.

Season to date, Rams vs Vikings
RamsStatVikings
12-5Record8-9
27.1Points per game25.0
372.1Yards per game362.8
6.0Yards per play5.7
21.9Points allowed per game25.1
344.9Yards allowed per game383.6

Rams vs Vikings Odds and Results

How this game finished against the betting lines.

Spread
LAR −3Rams covered by 4
Total
48.5Over: 53 points scored (by 4.5)

Expected vs Actual Scoring

Implied team totals against the actual score
TeamImpliedActualDifference
Rams25.830+4.3
Vikings22.823+0.3

Both offenses beat the market's expectation, and the Fantasy tab shows who cashed in.

Betting Trends

Each team's 2021 season through this game. Over/under is overs first.

Los Angeles Rams

Against the spread
8–7
Over/under
8–6–1
ATS as favorite
6–7
ATS as underdog
2–0
ATS on the road
4–4

Minnesota Vikings

Against the spread
8–7
Over/under
9–6
ATS as favorite
3–4
ATS as underdog
5–3
ATS at home
3–4

Lines: ESPN's consensus, captured at kickoff. Individual sportsbooks varied.

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Betting availability depends on your state.

Rams and Vikings in Fantasy

The two teams don't meet again this season. If you roster a Ram or a Viking, these answer the week-to-week question.

Keep Exploring

2021 Game Logs for Players in This Game

Rams vs Vikings Game FAQ

Who won the 2021 Rams vs Vikings Week 16 game?

The Los Angeles Rams beat the Minnesota Vikings 30–23 in Week 16 of the 2021 season. The game was played at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN, on December 26, 2021. See the Rams' 2021 schedule.

What was the final score of Rams vs Vikings?

The final score was Rams 30, Vikings 23. The Rams led 13–3 at halftime, and the second half went Rams 17, Vikings 20.

What happened in the Rams vs Vikings game?

Los Angeles led 13–3 at halftime and won 30–23, though Minnesota took the second half 20–17. Minnesota outgained the Rams 361–356. Cooper Kupp led all players with 10 catches for 109 yards, plus a carry for 4 rushing yards. The Rams committed 3 turnovers, the Vikings 1.

Who scored the most fantasy points in Rams vs Vikings?

Cooper Kupp led the game with 21.3 PPR fantasy points, the WR11 of Week 16, on 10 catches for 109 yards, plus a carry for 4 rushing yards. Sony Michel was next with 20.5 (RB8). See Cooper Kupp's 2021 game log.

Who led Rams vs Vikings in passing, rushing and receiving?

Kirk Cousins (MIN) led all passers with 27 of 38 for 315 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Sony Michel (LAR) led in rushing with 27 carries for 131 yards and a touchdown. Justin Jefferson (MIN) led in receiving with 8 catches for 116 yards.

How many fantasy points did Cooper Kupp score against the Vikings?

Cooper Kupp scored 21.3 points in PPR leagues, 16.3 in half-PPR and 11.3 in standard scoring against the Vikings in Week 16 of the 2021 season, on 10 catches for 109 yards, plus a carry for 4 rushing yards. He drew 35% of his team's targets.

Who outperformed and underperformed expected fantasy points in Rams vs Vikings?

K.J. Osborn outperformed his expected fantasy points the most, scoring 17.8 PPR points on 11.8 xFP (+6.0). Matthew Stafford fell furthest short, with 9.7 points on 18.2 xFP (−8.5). A gap either way reflects efficiency and touchdowns in one game; it is not a forecast. For matchups ahead, see fantasy points allowed by position.

Who had the highest expected fantasy points in Rams vs Vikings?

Sony Michel had the most fantasy opportunity in the game, worth 24.1 expected PPR points (xFP) at league-average rates, and scored 20.5. Expected points measure the volume of a player's pass attempts, carries and targets, not how well he used them.

Which team won the turnover battle in Rams vs Vikings?

The Vikings won the turnover battle 3–1: the Rams gave the ball away 3 times and the Vikings 1 time. The Rams won the game anyway.

What is the all-time Rams vs Vikings record?

The Vikings lead the all-time series 27–20–2 across 49 meetings since 1961, including a 5–3 record in the postseason.

When did the Rams and Vikings last play before this game?

Before Week 16 of 2021, they last met in the 2018 season on September 27, 2018, when the Rams beat the Vikings 38–31.

Have the Rams and Vikings met in the playoffs?

Yes, 8 times, most recently in the 2024 playoffs. The Rams are 3–5 against the Vikings in the postseason.

What was the closing spread for Rams vs Vikings?

The consensus closing spread at kickoff was Rams −3, making the Los Angeles Rams 3-point favorites, with a closing total of 48.5. That implied about 25.8 points for the Rams and 22.8 for the Vikings.

Did Rams vs Vikings go over or under the total?

The game went over. The consensus closing total was 48.5, and the teams combined for 53 points, 4.5 over the number.

Who covered the spread in Rams vs Vikings?

The Rams covered by 4 against the closing line of Rams −3. The final margin was 7 points.