Three keys to the Vikings' 30-20 loss to the Rams on “Thursday Night Football”

The Rams' offense hasn't been at full strength since Week 1 after top receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp were injured in consecutive weeks. Both were back on Thursday night and Matthew Stafford had no trouble splitting up the Vikings' defense. Nacua was the favorite with nine targets and caught seven for 106 yards. The veteran Stafford was unfazed by Brian Flores' defense, which faced little pressure and was held without a sack for the first time this season.

Injury to Christian Darrisaw

The play that injured the Vikings' star left tackle Christian Darrisaw seemed so banal. The Vikings were backed into their own end zone after a punt and a penalty and were at the 3 with 35 seconds left in the first half. You could have argued for kneeling, but Sam Darnold handed off to Aaron Jones, who got two yards and some breathing room Breathing won. But at the end of the game, a Rams defender rolled over Darrisaw's right leg, and now the team's season could change forever.

The Rams got five first downs in the Vikings' penalty shootout. Two third-down penalties against the Vikings' defense were particularly costly in the first half when the teams traded points. On the Rams' scoring drive that tied the game at 14-14 early in the second quarter, Vikings cornerbacks Byron Murphy Jr. and Stephon Gilmore were both thwarted on a third-and-seven play. Murphy's gave the Rams momentum early in the drive when the Vikings needed the stop; Gilmore's red zone hits may have been the difference between a touchdown and a field goal. In total, the Vikings incurred nine penalties for 50 yards as the offense continued to be plagued by pre-snap violations.