Why was the Vikings-Rams playoff game moved to Arizona? NFL makes unfortunate history

The Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams will face off in the NFC Wild Card round Monday night in an unfamiliar setting. The Rams were set to host the game at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, but due to the wildfires in the area the NFL moved the game to Arizona.

"In the interest of public safety, Monday’s Vikings-Rams Wild Card game has been moved from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA to State Farm Stadium, the home of the Arizona Cardinals, the NFL announced today," the NFL said in a statement. "The decision was made in consultation with public officials, the participating clubs and the NFLPA."

While this is technically still a home game for the Rams, the crowd is expected to be far more neutral than it would be at SoFi. More tickets were likely made available for Rams fans than Vikings, but given the natural disaster in the LA area, traveling to Arizona is easier said than done for a fanbase hungry for a winner.

The Vikings, given their regular season record of 14-3, are favored to win the game by 2.5 points. Had the game been played in Los Angeles, SoFi Stadium has a retractable roof. The same can be said of State Farm Stadium in Glendale, which is where the NFL moved the contest. Essentially, these are the same conditions, but the NFL chose to move the game to a safe environment given the raging wildfires in the LA area.

Has an NFL Playoff game ever been played at a neutral site?

The Super Bowl is always played at a neutral site these days, of course. However, this marks the first time the NFL has moved a playoff game due to a natural disaster. The league had little choice given the timing and ferocity of the wildfires, which have devastated the region and created tough travel conditions.

The 1936 NFL Championship Game was technically the first game moved to a neutral site. Back then, the Championship was not played at a neutral site. The game between Boston (now the Washington Commanders) and the Green Bay Packers was moved from Fenway Park to the Polo Grounds in New York City due to attendance issues. Yes, really.

The Packers went on to win that game, 21-6, in what was the first championship won via a playoff format. The NFL was far less popular back in those days than it is today, so as surprising as it might sound, the league struggled to sell out games at a consistent clip.

How will playing at a neutral site impact the Rams and Vikings?

The stadium and field itself shouldn't impact the playing style of either the Rams or Vikings. For the most part, these two teams should look the same as if the game were played at SoFi Stadium. However, the lack of a true home field advantage could hurt the Rams in the long run. The Vikings had a better regular season record and are favored for a reason. Without crowd noise and an unfriendly environment for Sam Darnold and Co., the Vikings offense should benefit greatly.