The Vikings huddled behind the closed doors of State Farm Stadium’s auxiliary locker room for nearly a half-hour after their 27-9 loss to the Rams on Monday night, before principal owner Zygi Wilf emerged with a blank expression and players packed for the long flight home.

It's fairly stunning how quickly and painfully the jubilant vibes of a 14-win season and nine-game winning streak can come crashing down in just nine days.

Monday’s night NFC wild card game transpired like a Hollywood movie script as the Rams channeled the devastation from the wildfires into motivation.