It’s playoff time. And the league doesn’t want any hiccups in the games. The fans are excited. And the hype is real. On Monday, January 13, Sean McVay‘s LA Rams play their wildcard game against the Minnesota Vikings. But a key change in plans is making news. Well, the NFL has taken its decision. What exactly happened?

The league announced on Thursday, January 9, that the playoff game will be played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona instead of SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. They did it after hinting at it 24 hours ago. The reason is the LA wildfires. Raging fires have left devastation in their wake. More than 9,000 houses have been destroyed, with around 30,000 people displaced from Palisades, Eaton, and many other areas.

The community is heartbroken by the disaster. First responders and firefighters are trying to control the situation. The NFL thanked all those people who are helping victims in their earlier statement. Also, they are keeping an eye on the situation from their end as well. It has taken the attention away from the most awaited time of the football season, the playoffs.

For those of you who want to watch the game in the stadium, tickets will go on sale from 10 AM PT on Friday for the Rams season ticket members. To the public, tickets will be available two hours later, from 12 noon PT. Those who want to enjoy it from the comforts of their home, catch the live action on ESPN, ABC, ESPN+, and ESPN Deportes.

The Rams and Vikings are prepared. However, Sean McVay and co. will now have a disadvantage, as SoFi was their home stadium. But it’s time to move on and focus on the present.

Sean McVay’s Rams ready for the Vikings? Who does history favor?

The Rams (and the Cowboys) are the most-played opponents for the Vikings. Both teams have played 7 times, and the Vikings have the upper hand with a 5-2 record. But they are facing each other after 25 years. They last played in the 2000 NFC Divisional game, which the Rams won 49-37.

For now, McVay and Kevin O’Connell are busy preparing their boys for the clash. Rams’ players and staff suffered losses in the fires. But they are locked in. HC Sean McVay said, “Fortunately to my knowledge, nobody has been injured. And for that we’re grateful.” The situation is challenging for them.

The Vikings have an interesting scenario. Their HC Kevin O’Connell has become a person of interest for several NFL teams as his deal runs till 2025. When asked about his contract status with the franchise on January 6, he said, “What I can tell you is I love this team. I love everything about this organization. This is where I want to be.” So, the management will be keen to talk to him after their season gets over. Hopefully, they would want to go all in.

Interestingly, both teams lost their last game of the season. The Vikings had a 10-game winning streak while Sean McVay’s Rams were unbeaten for 5 games. So, they would be searching for a win desperately. It would be an interesting game.