The Packers announced Tuesday that Clements, 71, is retiring after a lengthy run as a position coach for Green Bay and several other teams.

Clements coached Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers during his first stint with the Packers from 2006-16, which saw him spend three seasons as their offensive coordinator and another two as assistant head coach.

He returned in 2022 after a two-year stay with the Arizona Cardinals and a season away from football. Love has been Green Bay's quarterback starting quarterback since 2023.

"Man, it's been a cool ride with him for the last three years," head coach Matt LaFleur said of Clements.

"Talk about Favre, Rodgers and then the development of Jordan Love. I mean, that's pretty cool. I know he's meant a lot to this organization -- his contributions -- and he will definitely be missed. I can't say enough great things about him. I really appreciate him."

Clements played quarterback at Notre Dame from 1972-74 and won a national championship with the Fighting Irish in 1973. He spent most of his professional playing career in the Canadian Football League before returning to Notre Dame as quarterbacks coach in 1992.

From there, he caught on with the New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers to coach the position and was the Buffalo Bills' offensive coordinator in 2004 and 2005.

It's unclear who will take over the position for Clements in Green Bay, but the successor's main focus will be Love, who signed a four-year, $220 million contract extension with the Packers before the 2024 season.

After helping the Packers reach the NFC divisional round in 2023, Love went 20-for-33 passing for 212 yards and tossed three interceptions Sunday in a 22-10 wild-card loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

LaFleur said Love's "next step" is to grow as a more vocal leader of the Packers, who lost three straight games (regular season and playoffs) to cap the 2024 campaign.

"Do I think he can play better? Absolutely," LaFleur said. "Do I think I can help him out and be better? Absolutely. Do I think we can play better around him? Absolutely.

"I just think it's too much to put it on one person. I really do. I think collectively, we have to be better, and I expect better."

It is suspected that Wagner sustained the injury during Sunday night's 23-20 road victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Wagner made a big fumble recovery at the Tampa Bay 13-yard line early in the fourth quarter. It set up a touchdown that gave the Commanders a 20-17 lead.

Wagner also had eight tackles and was credited with a half-sack during Washington's first postseason victory in 19 years. The nine-time Pro Bowler and six-time first-team All-Pro is in his first season with the Commanders.

Linebacker Jordan Magee (hamstring) also missed practice as Washington prepares for Saturday's road contest against the top-seeded Detroit Lions in an NFC divisional round game.

Kicker Zane Gonzalez (hip) was limited for the sixth-seeded Commanders. Gonzalez kicked the game-winning 37-yard field goal, which caromed off the right upright and then through the goal posts with no time remaining.

Defensive tackle Daron Payne (finger) and tight end Ben Sinnott (shoulder) were also limited.

The Lions held a walkthrough Tuesday and running back David Montgomery (knee) was considered a full participant. Montgomery has missed the past three games after tearing the MCL in his right knee against the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 15.

"There will be a place for him in this game," Detroit coach Dan Campbell said of Montgomery. "So, it's going to be good to get him back."

Montgomery ranks second on Detroit with 775 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, behind leading rusher Jahmyr Gibbs (1,412, 16 TDs).

Cornerback Terrion Arnold (foot) also was listed as a full participant. Missing the session were guard Kevin Zeitler (hamstring), defensive lineman Pat O'Connor (calf) and cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (hamstring/illness).

Tomlin intends to return for his 19th season in Pittsburgh and signed a contract extension prior to last season. He's the longest-tenured coach in the NFL and met with general manager Omar Khan and owner Art Rooney II on Monday.

"Save your time," Tomlin said Tuesday of his response to reports that teams are kicking the tires on acquiring him this offseason.

The Steelers' wild-card round loss at Baltimore last week was the fifth consecutive postseason appearance without a win.

"I understand the nature of what it is that we do, the attention and criticism that comes with it," he said. "As a matter of fact ... I embrace it, to be quite honest with you. I enjoy the urgency that comes with what I do and what we do. I don't make excuses for failure. I own it, but I also feel like I'm capable, and so as long as I'm afforded an opportunity to do that, I will continue, but I certainly understand their frustrations and probably more importantly than that, I share it because that's how I'm wired."

Tomlin said there are changes expected in the organization. Whether they involve another swing at the quarterback position isn't clear.

Quarterback Russell Wilson signed a one-year deal in 2024 after being released by the Denver Broncos. He said earlier this week "the plan" from his perspective is to find a way to stay in Pittsburgh. Backup Justin Fields, who went 4-2 while Wilson nursed a calf injury, is also a free agent at the start of the 2025 league year in March.

Tomlin said the Steelers aren't looking to point fingers at specific positions or areas of fault. He also said he wasn't in front of the microphone to "sell optimism, either."

"Particularly at this level in this business and game, there's football justice. You get what you deserve, and so we are here and we're here for really tangible reasons," Tomlin said. "We didn't involve in the right ways. We didn't strike the right chords at the right time, particularly down the stretch."

Let the offseason -- and the pressing questions -- begin.

O'Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah are entering the final year of their four-year deals with team president Mark Wilf opting to push extension talks to the end of the regular season.

Minnesota is 34-17 in the regular season over three seasons and 0-2 in the playoffs under O'Connell, who is the oddsmakers' pick for NFL Coach of the Year.

Wilf said he's "looking forward to a great future" with his current coach and GM after media reports suggested other teams would show interest in a potential trade for O'Connell.

For his part, O'Connell said Minnesota is "where I want to be. This is where I want to keep coaching and leading."

He and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown were lauded for the development of Sam Darnold, who stepped in on a one-year deal after Kirk Cousins signed with the Atlanta Falcons in free agency. Darnold, the No. 3 pick in the 2020 draft with the New York Jets, delivered career highs with 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns playing with his fourth NFL team.

"What he was able to do this year, when not very many people thought he would be able to lead a team to 14 wins, which is rare. The way he came in, committed himself to just a daily process to be the best version of himself," O'Connell said of Darnold on Monday night. "It did not work out in the end. I think Sam would be the first one to tell you. Could he have played better tonight? I'm sure he would tell you he could have. Could I have coached better? I promise you I could have. Could our team have rallied around a play here and there to keep it close? For sure."

Darnold, 27, might not be the future in Minnesota, and not just because of his contract.

The Vikings drafted former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy with the 10th pick in the 2024 draft, but he spent the season on injured reserve following knee surgery. He turns 22 on Monday.

O'Connell said in December the Vikings wanted Darnold to return. But after lopsided losses to the Detroit Lions in Week 18 and Monday night against the Rams, Darnold said he knows the focus will be on how the season ended.

On Monday, Darnold was 25-for-40 passing for 245 yards with one touchdown, one interception and a lost fumble. He was sacked nine times for 82 yards.

All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson said Monday night he trusts Adofo-Mensah and O'Connell to find the right answer to the QB riddle again.

"I didn't know who my quarterback was going to be [after last season], and I really didn't care," Jefferson said. "At the end of the day, I'll always say that I'm confident in myself to perform the same way I've been performing. But it's not my job to say who is going to be the quarterback or who do I want to be the quarterback. At the end of the day, they're going to figure it out, and whoever they decide to go with, we can work with that."

The Browns' offense, hampered by rotating quarterbacks and another season-ending injury to running back Nick Chubb, mustered only an NFL-low 15.2 points per game.

Cleveland holds the second overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Dorsey replaced Alex Van Pelt, who was let go within days of the Browns getting routed 45-14 by the Houston Texans in the wild-card round of the playoffs on Jan. 13, 2024. The Van Pelt offense ranked 10th in the NFL in points per game (23.3).

Rees previously served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Notre Dame from 2020-22 and the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Alabama under Nick Saban in 2023.

In another move, Houston placed rookie tight end Cade Stover on injured reserve.

The team visits the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday afternoon in the AFC divisional round.

The Texans had claimed Johnson off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens on Dec. 23.

Johnson, 28, played for Houston in one regular-season game against the Tennessee Titans and in the AFC wild-card victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday. He made a total of three receptions for 24 yards on five targets.

With the Ravens, Johnson reeled in just one catch for 6 yards and received a one-game suspension for what the team said was refusing to enter a game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 1.

An unrestricted free agent after this season, Johnson was traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers to Carolina in March and then was traded from the Panthers to the Ravens in October.

A third-round draft pick in 2019, Johnson had 30 receptions for 357 yards and three touchdowns in seven games (all starts) for the Panthers earlier this season.

In six seasons, the 2021 Pro Bowl selection has 424 career receptions for 4,738 yards and 28 TDs in 89 regular-season games (75 starts) for the Steelers (2019-23), Panthers, Ravens and Texans.

Houston selected Stover in the fourth round of the 2024 draft.

Stover, 24, had 15 receptions for 133 yards and one touchdown in 15 regular-season games (nine starts). He was a reserve in the playoff game, catching all four of his targets for 28 yards.

NFL Network reported that Martindale will interview for the defensive coordinator positions with the Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

Martindale accepted the defensive coordinator position at Michigan after parting ways with the New York Giants following the 2023 season.

Martindale, 61, previously served as the defensive coordinator in Baltimore from 2018-21 and in Denver (2010).

The Falcons are looking to fill the position previously held by Jimmy Lake, who was fired on Saturday after one season with the team.

The Colts fired Gus Bradley as their defensive coordinator on Jan. 6 after his third season with the team.

Sirianni defended Brown during an appearance Tuesday on a 94.1 WIP radio show in Philadelphia.

"Some guys pray in between, some guys mediate in between. A.J. reads in between. Whatever these guys need to do to put their mind in a place where they can play with great detail and great effort, I fully encourage them to do that," Sirianni said.

The coach noted that Brown's teammates also defended him, instead of reading a book by its cover, in a way, when the video clip went viral. Critics thought Brown was frustrated during the game, when he caught just one pass for 10 yards on three targets in the 22-10 home victory in the NFC wild-card round.

"We don't do any research, and we jump to a conclusion of, ‘Oh he must be disgruntled.' That to me is lazy," Sirianni said. "Everyone needs to figure out why he's doing it before they jump to judgment on the man. Because the man, A.J. Brown is a great, great, great person. The man A.J. Brown is the best receiver -- and I'll say it without hesitation -- the best receiver that this city has ever seen ... It's hard for me to watch when people are getting on him without doing the proper research of who the man is and what he's doing in the first place."

All of the attention has benefitted the book, "Inner Excellence: Train Your Mind for Extraordinary Performance and the Best Possible Life." Written by Jim Murphy, a former minor league baseball player, the book rose from 523,497th to the top of Amazon's bestsellers list.

Brown, 27, said he brings the book to every game because reading passages helps him clear his mind.

"It gives me a sense of peace," Brown said Sunday. "My teammates call it a recipe. That's the first time I've heard y'all got me on camera. That's not the first game. It's got a lot of points in there."

Last month, there appeared to be drama in the relationship between Brown and quarterback Jalen Hurts over how much the receiver was being involved in the offense. That led to speculation that Brown was signaling his displeasure with Sunday's output.

"I wasn't frustrated at all. I figured that's what y'all probably thought," Brown said. "Why do you always think I be frustrated? Dang. I like to read."

Brown made 67 receptions for 1,079 yards and seven touchdowns in starting 13 regular-season games. He has 446 career receptions for 7,026 yards and 49 TDs in 90 regular-season games (82 starts) with the Tennessee Titans (2019-21) and Eagles.

The Titans selected him in the second round (51st overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Ole Miss. He was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2020, 2022 and 2023.

The Eagles host the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday in the NFC divisional round.

Brittany Mahomes announced on her Instagram account that she and her husband welcomed their third child, Golden Raye Mahomes, on Sunday. Golden joins her siblings, sister Sterling and brother Bronze, as dad attempts to complete an historic Super Bowl three-peat.

Sterling turns 4 next month; Bronze celebrated his second birthday in November.

Kansas City had a bye on Sunday -- a scenario Mahomes said in an interview with Netflix late last month that he hope would occur.

"Hopefully God works the right way and we can have that baby maybe on the bye week somewhere and then everything will work out perfectly," he said.

Mahomes, 29, is already a three-time Super Bowl champion and two-time league MVP. He and the Chiefs are pursuing their third consecutive Super Bowl victory.

He and Brittany, also 29, were high school sweethearts in Texas. They are part of the ownership group of the Kansas City Current of the National Women's Soccer League and also shareholders of MLB's Kansas City Royals and the MLS franchise Sporting KC.

The Rams' home game originally was scheduled for Inglewood, Calif., before the venue was changed for public safety purposes because of deadly wildfires in the Los Angeles area over the past week.

Linebacker Jared Verse returned a fumble 57 yards for a touchdown and Kobie Turner had two sacks as the Rams came out on top in a playoff game for the first time since winning Super Bowl LVI at the end of the 2021 season.

Stafford completed 19 of 27 passes for 209 yards, and Kyren Williams and Davis Allen each caught a touchdown toss as Los Angeles defeated Minnesota for the second time this season. Williams ran for 76 yards on 16 carries.

The fourth-seeded Rams will be on the road to face the second-seeded Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC divisional-round game Sunday.

Sam Darnold finished 25 of 40 for 245 yards with one touchdown and one interception for the fifth-seeded Vikings, who were the first wild-card team to win 14 games in the regular season. T.J. Hockenson caught five passes for 64 yards and a score for Minnesota, while Justin Jefferson had five receptions for 58 yards.

The Rams started quickly, taking the opening drive of the game 70 yards in seven plays as Williams scored on a 5-yard pass from Stafford. After a three-and-out by Minnesota, Los Angeles added a 34-yard field goal from Joshua Karty on their second possession for a 10-0 lead.

The Vikings answered with a 34-yard field goal from Will Reichard to pull within 10-3 early in the second quarter.

Verse's fumble return for a score came after a sack and forced fumble from Ahkello Witherspoon to give the Rams a 17-3 lead with 4:35 remaining in the first half.

After the Vikings turned the ball over on downs with 1:27 remaining in the first half on a sack from Turner, the Rams took a 24-3 lead with 15 seconds left in the half on a 13-yard TD connection from Stafford to Allen.

The Vikings finally found the end zone with 5:05 remaining in the third quarter on a 26-yard TD pass from Darnold to Hockenson to pull within 27-9. The two-point conversion attempt failed.

But the Houston Texans know a cleaner effort will be needed against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Texans overcame three turnovers and eight penalties in defeating Los Angeles on Saturday. Despite those issues, Houston outgained the Chargers 429-261 and pulled away in the second half.

Following up the 32-12 victory with a sharper focus and better execution would seem to give Houston a great chance against anyone. But the Texans and coach DeMeco Ryans also know what kind of behemoth is waiting for them in the divisional round this weekend in Kansas City.

The Chiefs have won the past two Super Bowls and three of the past five, and the team's earliest exits from the playoffs over the past six seasons have been in the AFC Championship -- and in overtime, no less.

"We understand what's in front of us," Ryans said. "KC has done a great job for the past few years of really dominating the league, being there at the end. ...

"It's a tough, tough team to beat. It's going to take everything that we have. It's going to take all four quarters."

The Chiefs, who went 15-2 in the regular season in earning the AFC's top seed, defeated Houston 27-19 in Week 16.

In that game, the Texans finished 1-for-3 in the red zone and trailed just 24-19 midway through the fourth quarter before Kansas City closed out the win. But Ryans doesn't expect that Dec. 21 loss to be much of an indicator of how this Saturday will go.

"Fresh start, new game," Ryans said. "We will attack it just like it's our first time playing these guys. ... We'll go in with a fresh set of eyes and see the things we need to do to be better, the things we need to do that close out the game."

Still, that's easier said than done when two-time league MVP Patrick Mahomes is lining up under center for your opponent.

Mahomes, who has thrown for 3,928 yards and 26 touchdowns this season, is not expected to be in the running for his third MVP award this year. But he can still stress a defense better than almost any other player in the league.

"It just presents different challenges," Ryans said of facing Mahomes. "Guys are wide open a lot on their film because of the threat he poses, and he just requires so much attention."

Akers has been battling an illness and missed practice on Saturday. The Vikings listed him as questionable for the game.

Akers has rushed for 297 yards and one touchdown in 12 games for Minnesota this season. He began the season with the Houston Texans before being dealt to the Vikings in mid-October.

Akers played for the Rams from 2020-23.

Daniel Jones was designated as Minnesota's third quarterback. The club's inactives are Jones, defensive lineman Levi Drake Rodriguez, center Dan Feeney, offensive tackle Walter Rouse and outside linebacker Pat Jones II.

The Los Angeles inactives include signal-caller Stetson Bennett (third quarterback), receiver Tyler Johnson, cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr., outside linebacker Brennan Jackson and offensive linemen Justin Dedich and Joe Noteboom.

Nix sustained a transverse process fracture in his back during the first half of a game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 24. He finished the game and played the following week through pain against the Cleveland Browns on Dec. 2, a Monday night affair.

Nix told reporters on Monday that he had three fractures.

"That week, got treatment, made it through that week. Monday Night Football was a stretch where we were all kind of banged up," Nix said. "And I wasn't going to miss the first Monday night game (of my career). I got treatment on it and then we were fortunate to have a (bye) week the next week and it kind of went away after that.

"That moment was annoying, but we all play with something."

Despite the injury, Nix passed for 294 yards, including a 93-yard scoring pass to Marvin Mims Jr. during a 41-32 home victory.

Nix guided the Broncos to the postseason for the first time since the 2015 season. Denver's season ended with a 31-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC wild-card round on Sunday.

"This has been a good run. We started where we were, and to be where we are now, play an extra week of football, an opportunity to play in the playoffs, it's exciting and it's an exciting time to be in Denver right now," Nix said. "I love this team and will always appreciate what they did for me as a rookie coming in and learning the NFL. It was an honor to play with those guys each week."

Nix was chosen No. 12 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, the sixth quarterback chosen in the first round, and beat out Jarrett Stidham for the starting job during training camp. He passed for 3,775 yards and 29 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. He also rushed for 430 yards and four scores.

Nix also earned points with the veterans by displaying leadership beyond his years.

"I've said it over and over again, I've been impressed every single week," said right guard Quinn Meinerz, who earned first-team All-Pro honors this season. "He continued to show improvement, and I think that's the only thing you can really ask for from a young player. Players at any position are trying to improve. I'm excited for him.

"That rookie year is kind of tough. You have your college season, you have the pre-draft stuff, you have combine training and then you go through an NFL season. I'm excited for him to get some time off. That's what he needs right now is to get some time off to reset a little bit because the next season will be here quickly."

"That's in we'll see mode. He's working hard to get back," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said on Monday. "We'll see toward the end of the week if he's practicing. He can play without practicing for sure, if he feels healthy enough and it's safe for him."

Flowers didn't practice last week and was ruled out of the wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. The team leader with 74 receptions for 1,059 yards in the regular season, Flowers sustained a knee injury during Baltimore's 35-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns in the regular-season finale.

Reserve running back Justice Hill led the Ravens with four receptions against the Steelers, a 28-14 win that pushed the team to the divisional round visit to the Bills. Baltimore ran the ball 50 times for 299 yards compared to 16 pass plays.

It was the first time Flowers missed a game in his two NFL seasons.

Rashod Bateman is the most likely candidate to serve as Lamar Jackson's lead wide receiver if Flowers is unable to return this week.

Flowers and Bateman had one reception apiece in the Ravens' Week 4 win over the Bills, 35-10. Derrick Henry rushed for 199 yards and scored two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving) and tight end Mark Andrews was held without a catch.

A valid question in the mind of All-Pro linebacker T.J. Watt, who vented frustration stemming from the latest brief appearance in the postseason with multiple versions of the rhetorical question.

"It gets more and more frustrating as the years go by," Watt said Monday as players packed to start the offseason two days removed from a wild-card loss at Baltimore. "Tough conversations need to be had. We can't keep doing the same thing and expect different results. That's starting with myself."

The Steelers ended the season on a five-game losing streak, fading from first place in the AFC North with four consecutive losses prior to dropping the playoff game in Baltimore.

Quarterback Russell Wilson experienced his first postseason defeat with Pittsburgh, a 28-14 loss to the Ravens that runs the franchise playoff drought to six consecutive games. The last playoff win for head coach Mike Tomlin and the Steelers was an 18-16 win over the Chiefs in January 2017.

Released by the Broncos at the end of the 2023 season, Wilson signed a team-friendly, one-year deal with the Steelers and is eligible to become a free agent in March.

He informed the Steelers he wants to return, but said Monday he understands Pittsburgh must follow "a process" to determine what's next at a position unsettled since Ben Roethsliberger retired following the 2021 season.

"That's the plan," Wilson said when asked if he wanted to stay in Pittsburgh. "I love it here and everything else. I think we have a great football team. Obviously, it didn't end the way we wanted it to, and I think there's a lot more to do."

Backup quarterback Justin Fields is also eligible for free agency. He was acquired from the Chicago Bears and started the first six games of the regular season, leading Pittsburgh to a 4-2 record while Wilson recovered from a calf injury.

Due to the wildfires in the Los Angeles areas, the NFL made the proactive decision to move the game from Inglewood, Calif., to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

While the Rams do visit Arizona on an annual basis, the move strips them of a true home-field advantage. It sets the stage for an intriguing end to the six-game slate to kick off the postseason.

ODDS & TRENDS

The Vikings (14-3) fell to the No. 5 seed with their Week 18 loss to Detroit. Minnesota opened as a slight favorite at most sportsbooks but has grown to a consensus 2.5-point favorite following the tumultuous week the Rams (10-7) have faced.

BetRivers reported 57 percent of the spread-line tickets and 60 percent of the money is backing the Vikings, while their -139 moneyline has drawn 66 and 73 percent of the action, respectively. The story has been similar at BetMGM, where Minnesota has been backed by 67 percent of the spread-line and 55 percent of the moneyline handle.

What hasn't moved significantly is the 47.5 total points line. The Over has garnered 78 percent of the money at BetRivers and 56 percent at BetMGM.

PROP PICKS

--Rams RB Kyren Williams Anytime TD (-155 at BetRivers): Williams has reached the end zone in five of his past six games overall. He should have fresh legs after sitting out the Week 18 loss to Seattle, and Williams scoring at least one TD has drawn 6.1 percent of all player prop bets on Monday night's game.

--Vikings WR Justin Jefferson 60+ Receiving Yards (-390 at DraftKings): This has been the most popular player prop at the book, and if Minnesota is going to advance to the Divisional Playoffs, Jefferson must be an integral part of the game plan. He was held to only 54 yards at Detroit, only the third time in 17 regular-season games that Jefferson produced less than 73 yards in a game this season.

PLAYOFF HISTORY

The Vikings and Rams were regular playoff foes in the 1970s. Minnesota dominated the rivalry then but lost all four of its Super Bowl appearances through the 1976 season and hasn't been back since.

Minnesota holds a 5-2 advantage in playoff matchups between the franchises and is in search of its first playoff victory since the 2019 wild-card round.

THE NEWS

The Vikings flourished this season behind the play of Pro Bowl quarterback Sam Darnold, who was fifth in the NFL in both passing yards (4,319) and touchdowns (35). He threw 12 interceptions and was sacked 48 times, tied for fourth most.

"It's exciting to step into an environment like we're going to step into Monday night," said Darnold, who became the first quarterback in NFL history to win 14 regular-season games in his first season with a team. "(Everybody) is excited about it, but we know we have to put in the work to earn the excitement we're going to feel."

Jefferson was second in receiving yards with 1,533 and sixth in receptions with 103, while adding 10 touchdowns. Running back Aaron Jones gained a career-high 1,138 yards with five touchdowns.

Darnold will be out to avenge a 30-20 defeat at Los Angeles on Oct. 24. That came just four days after a 31-29 loss to the Lions.

Minnesota recovered to win nine consecutive games before their 31-9 defeat in Week 18 at Detroit.

"My confidence level that we can get him back on track is as high as it could be," Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said after Darnold threw for a season-low 166 yards against the Lions. "I know our coaches feel the same way, and I know, most importantly, his teammates feel the same way."

The Rams recovered from a 1-4 start to win nine of their next 11 games and clinch the NFC West in Week 17. Coach Sean McVay rested most of his key personnel in Week 18, but a 30-25 loss to the Seahawks dropped Los Angeles to the No. 4 seed and a date with the Vikings instead of the Washington Commanders.

The Rams not only worked their way through early-season injuries to wide receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp, but the offensive line was in scramble mode through the first month.

The offense recovered behind veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, who threw for 3,762 yards and 20 touchdowns, with eight interceptions. He was sacked 28 times.

"It's full focus, 100 percent on the Vikings and the challenges that they present, but we're also human beings and care for the people of our community," Stafford said. "Hopefully it's a great escape for people that have been going through tough times."

Nacua led the Rams in receptions (79) and receiving yards (990), and scored three touchdowns, while Kupp had 67 receptions for 710 yards and six scores. Kupp had just four catches, 54 yards and no touchdowns over his final three games. Kyren Williams rushed for 1,299 yards and 14 scores.

Without future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Aaron Donald, a young Rams defensive line blossomed with second-year players Byron Young and Kobie Turner, alongside rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske.

But the Los Angeles offense struggled immediately after a 44-42 home victory over the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 8. The offense averaged just 14.7 points over the next three games, but all were victories led by the defense.

"Let's get a good, tight plan together," McVay said. "Let's make sure that we have answers, but ultimately a clarity for our players first and foremost and then the ability for them to go cut it loose."

INJURY REPORT

While Darnold was listed on the injury report with an ailing quad, he was a full participant in practice throughout the week and is expected to play. Linebacker Patrick Jones II (knee) was ruled out for the game on Sunday, while Aaron Jones (quad) practiced in full on Saturday.

Fellow running back Cam Akers (illness) and defensive lineman Taki Taimani (ankle) are both listed as questionable.

Rams offensive tackle Rob Havenstein (shoulder) missed the final two regular-season games but is expected to play. Rookie running back Blake Corum (forearm) is done for the season.

PREDICTION

The Rams earned a 30-20 win over the Vikings in Los Angeles back in October with Stafford throwing four touchdowns. Minnesota's only other losses during the regular season both game against Detroit, so this is a matchup that has to concern the Vikings -- especially after kicking off 2025 with a 31-9 drubbing at the hands of the Lions. The move to Arizona -- combined with the Rams' emotionally taxing week -- gives Minnesota an important edge.

--Vikings 27, Rams 26

A former linebacker and Super Bowl champion under Bill Belichick, Vrabel said he felt the move back to Foxborough was right "in his soul." Vrabel previously coached the Tennessee Titans and spent last season as a consultant for the Cleveland Browns.

"I'm humbled, I'm grateful," Vrabel said Monday, recalling being inducted into the team's Hall of Fame in 2023. "Excited to get to work. Excited to meet the people in this building who have made this place special."

The Patriots last reached the playoffs at the end of the 2021 season, losing 47-17 to the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round. Since that loss, New England is 16-35 and moving to a third head coach in three seasons.

Vrabel credited previous coaches and mentors from Belichick to Bill O'Brien, who made him a linebackers coach with the Houston Texans, for getting him back "to the place where I wanted to be."

"When I started my coaching career, I think it was important to go somewhere else to start another coaching journey," Vrabel said Monday. "I felt like it was important to forge my own path somewhere else and if all those experiences led me back here and the right opportunity, then that was the place to be."

Vrabel, 49, takes over for former teammate Jerod Mayo, who was fired after one season as Belichick's replacement as hand-selected by Robert Kraft. The Patriots' owner said Mayo was placed in an untenable situation and took fault for New England finishing 4-13 for the second consecutive season.

Vrabel spent four seasons in the NFL with the Steelers before signing with the Patriots in 2001 and winning three Super Bowls in eight seasons. Kraft took a stroll down memory lane Monday, reflecting on Vrabel's growth and what brought them to the reunion.

"Those personal characteristics also made him a very high-performing coach," Kraft said of Vrabel's six years running the Titans. "In 2019, he beat us right here in the playoffs in Tommy's (Tom Brady) last game as a Patriot. In 2021, he finished as the best record in the AFC at 12-5.

"In the interview process, Mike showed us that he had a very deep understanding of our current team. Most importantly, he had a clear and focused strategy of how to get us back to a championship way that is so important to all of us, but also something I think our fan base deserves and expects."

Vrabel said he wants to focus on as many points of contact -- personnel, coaches and himself -- as possible to make all employees feel the same amount of care that they invest in the team.

"This connection piece," Vrabel said. "I'm going to have a relationship with every single one of them. ... That's what I want to build."

Multiple reports indicated the Cowboys and McCarthy broke off contract talks on Monday because they couldn't agree on the length of a new deal. McCarthy's contract ended at the end of the season with Dallas holding exclusive negotiating rights until midnight on Jan. 14.

McCarthy spent five seasons in Dallas, including three 12-5 campaigns sandwiched between losing seasons in his first (2020) and, barring a last-minute reversal, final year with the franchise in 2024.

The Cowboys last week denied a request from the Chicago Bears to interview McCarthy, and owner Jerry Jones said in December he expected other teams to show interest because of the coach's resume and history developing quarterbacks. The Bears drafted Caleb Williams No. 1 overall in the 2024 draft.

McCarthy, 61, said after the regular-season finale that he wanted to return as Jones showed some indecision in public comments that lacked a clear commitment to keeping him.

"I don't know that I am considering making a change is really what I'm trying to say," Jones said at the end of the regular season. "Mike's one of the best coaches that I think there is. He was made the coach here because I thought that, and he's done absolutely nothing to diminish my opinion of him as a coach."

This would be the seventh coaching change in the NFL with only one of the vacant spots filled. The New England Patriots fired Jerod Mayo one season after hiring him to replace Bill Belichick and moved quickly to make former Titans coach and Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel their head coach in 2025.

Dallas won four of its final seven games despite a significant run of injuries to key personnel, including a season-ending injury to quarterback Dak Prescott and a month without top pass rushers Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence.

McCarthy missed the playoffs for the second time as head coach of the Cowboys, who also failed to reach the postseason in his first season running the team in 2020.

Dean went down in the second quarter of the Eagles' 22-10 wild-card win while tackling Packers tight end Tucker Kraft. Dean was carted to the locker room. Oren Burks replaced Dean and will likely start in his place moving forward.

Dean had six tackles -- including two for loss -- before exiting. He had 128 tackles, four passes defensed and three sacks in 15 starts this season, a breakout campaign for the former third-round pick.

Dean, 24, has 171 tackles in 37 career games (19 starts).

Dean's 2023 season was cut short by a Lisfranc sprain.

The Eagles will host the winner of Monday night's contest between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings in next weekend's divisional round.

Crossman, 57, had been with the Dolphins since 2019 and had been the special teams coordinator since 2022. He has been an NFL coach since 2003 with the Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills before arriving in Miami.

Welker, 43, made the Pro Bowl five times as a member of the New England Patriots when he led the NFL in receptions three times. He had 903 receptions for 9,924 yards and 50 touchdowns over 175 games (102 starts) in 12 seasons for the San Diego Chargers (2004), Dolphins (2004-06), Patriots (2007-12), Denver Broncos (2013-14) and St. Louis Rams (2015).

Welker became an NFL coach as an offensive assistant with the Houston Texans in 2017 and was a wide receivers coach for the San Francisco 49ers (2019-21) before he joined the Dolphins' staff.

"I am grateful for Danny's contributions and dedication to the Dolphins over the course of many seasons, as well as the numerous ways he helped me as a head coach," Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said in a statement.

"I also want to thank Wes for his investment here. This was not a decision I came to lightly, but as I have evaluated the season and areas where we must improve, I believe that change is needed and am motivated to do what is best for the team as we move forward."