GLENDALE, Ariz. – It’s hard to believe the Vikings had so much to offer just last weekend.

After being coached by the Detroit Lions, the Vikings had a chance to rebound against the Los Angeles Rams in the first round of the playoffs

Instead, the Vikings crashed into a game that was almost over by halftime at State Farm Stadium on Monday night.

Here are five takeaways from the Vikings’ 27-9 loss to the Rams:

Sam Darnold imploded again

It can’t be overstated how disappointing quarterback Sam Darnold has been in recent weeks.

After collapsing last weekend against the Lions, Darnold was even worse this weekend against the Rams. Although he ended up completing 25 of 40 passes for 245 yards and a touchdown, that doesn’t begin to describe how ineffective he was for much of the game.

The internal pressure visibly shook Darnold as he appeared to be unable to play the position. In total, Darnold was sacked nine times, including a fumble that rookie edge rusher Jared Verse returned for a touchdown.

As good as Darnold was at times this season, he didn’t perform when the chips were on the table, and therefore his future with the Vikings is unclear.

The offensive line had major problems

While Darnold takes much of the blame for holding onto the ball too long, the Vikings’ offensive line seemingly struggled to contain the Rams’ pressure at every turn.

This has been a common theme this season, particularly on the interior of the offensive line, with left guard Blake Brandel, center Garrett Bradbury and right guard Dalton Risner often being overwhelmed at the point of attack.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Vikings make some changes to the interior of the offensive line in the next few months. It has long been a weakness for the Vikings and it may be time to invest in this part of the roster.

Kevin O’Connell took charge

Although Darnold’s play left something to be desired, head coach Kevin O’Connell admitted after the game that he himself could have been better.

There weren’t many times when O’Connell made life easier for Darnold. He just kept calling plays designed to force the ball down the field, hoping it would all work out eventually.

That never happened and the Vikings were run off the field by the Rams.

This is the second time O’Connell has led the Vikings to double-digit wins, only to fall in the first round of the playoffs. He needs to look in the mirror and figure out why that is.

Brian Flores didn’t have any answers either

On the Rams’ first play, quarterback Matthew Stafford dropped back to pass and hit receiver Puka Nacua over the middle for a 27-yard gain.

The fact that the Vikings weren’t ready for something like that had a negative impact on defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Things got worse before they got better as the Rams scored a touchdown on their first drive to take control.

Although the Vikings’ defense slowly settled in as the game progressed, that was in part because the Rams built such a large lead that they didn’t need to force the ball downfield.

Stafford’s performance was even more dominant than his stats would suggest. He completed 19 of 27 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns before setting cruise control and sailing to victory.

Blake Cashman had a touchdown taken away from him

A key play in the game occurred when Vikings edge rusher Jonathan Greenard appeared to force a fumble and linebacker Blake Cashman picked it up and returned it for a touchdown.

It looked like the boost the Vikings needed at a crucial moment. The only problem? The referees ruled it was an incomplete pass and the points were wiped off the board.

This changed the landscape of the game. If that Cashman touchdown had worked, there’s a good chance the Vikings would have been competitive against the Rams until the end.