Rams hope a week off will allow their sluggish offense to get rolling in the playoffs

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Rams rested nearly all of their offensive starters in their regular-season finale because coach Sean McVay wanted everybody fresh and healthy for the playoffs.

McVay's offense has looked as if it needed a recharge for several weeks now, and the Rams (10-7) are hoping this rested group will return with the production necessary to hang with the winningest wild-card playoff team in NFL history.

Los Angeles will host the Minnesota Vikings (14-3) on Monday night in the Rams' first playoff game at SoFi Stadium since they won the Super Bowl nearly three years ago. To pull off the home upset, the Rams will probably need to score a bunch of points, which has been a problem for their offense repeatedly in an otherwise outstanding second half of the season.

The Rams have won nine of 12 since their bye week, yet they are the lowest-scoring team to qualify for the playoffs after managing just 21.6 points per game this season. McVay's offense faded badly down the stretch, scoring only three combined touchdowns and 44 points in its last three games in December before Jimmy Garoppolo led the backups to two more touchdowns and 25 points in last Sunday's meaningless finale.

Yet the Rams won all three of their offense's low-scoring games because the defense stepped up to hold three straight Rams opponents under 10 points for the first time in nearly a half-century.

The Rams are home underdogs against the first 14-win wild-card playoff team in NFL history, but they're also one of only two opponents to beat Minnesota this season.

Los Angeles won 30-20 at SoFi in a Thursday night visit from the Vikings in late October, getting four TD passes from Matthew Stafford in a game featuring the simultaneous return of Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua from lengthy injury absences. The Rams’ offense surged from there, but slumped around Thanksgiving and still hasn't re-emerged since dropping 44 points on powerhouse Buffalo in the Rams' best game of the season.

“The last time we played these guys, we started fast and we executed well,” McVay said Monday. “It really comes down to putting the guys in the right spots and all 11 doing what they’re supposed to do. ... I’ve liked the way that we finished games, but we have to be able to play a full four quarters if we expect to advance in this tournament, and we know that. There’ll be that sense of urgency, and we’re working to play as consistent as possible.”

What's working

With offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur calling the plays against Seattle, the Rams' complementary skill-position players stepped up nicely. Demarcus Robinson and rookie Jordan Whittington teamed up with Garoppolo for a few long completions, while tight end Tyler Higbee had five receptions and caught another TD pass. Los Angeles needs more contributions from more depth players, particularly if Kupp continues to struggle for a connection with Stafford.

What needs help

When asked why the Rams are struggling to score, McVay has vaguely cited execution and play-calling. LA's execution could improve after rest, while McVay's head-to-head clash with Vikings defensive guru Brian Flores should be one of the best coaching matchups of the wild-card round. McVay will have a chance to show he can improve on his self-described failures in play-calling down the stretch.

Stock up

Rookie kicker Joshua Karty concluded an up-and-down regular season by making four field goals against Seattle, including his two longest kicks of the season from 57 and 58 yards. After a midseason funk in which McVay appeared to lose confidence in him, Karty is headed into his playoff debut on a streak of 13 straight successful field-goal attempts since Thanksgiving — although he missed a couple of extra-point attempts in that stretch.

Stock down

The Rams’ depth at running back took a hit when rookie Blake Corum broke his forearm against Seattle. But Kyren Williams is a workhorse, and veteran Ronnie Rivers has shown he’s capable of filling in. Rivers had a career-high 82 yards from scrimmage against the Seahawks.

Injuries

RT Rob Havenstein is expected to play after missing the final two games with a shoulder injury incurred in practice.

Key number

22.7 — The defense's points allowed per game. Only Washington (23.0) allowed more among playoff teams, while the Rams' 353.1 yards allowed per game were the most by a playoff team. Despite those grim numbers, the unit has been mostly solid for three months — unless facing MVP candidates Saquon Barkley or Josh Allen, that is.

Next steps

McVay's Rams are 7-4 overall in the postseason, but they lost an opening-round game at Detroit last season. The Rams haven't faced Minnesota in the playoffs since the 1999-2000 season, when the "Greatest Show on Turf" outlasted Jeff George's Vikings 49-37 in Kurt Warner's playoff debut. St. Louis won the Super Bowl two weeks later.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL

Greg Beacham, The Associated Press