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Sean McVay was a precocious offensive coordinator when they got together in Washington.After they collaborated on two tremendously productive seasons http://www.thevikingslockerroom.com/authentic-trevor-siemian-jersey , the partnership led to big things for both men: McVay became the NFL’s youngest head coach in Los Angeles, and Cousins got an $84 million contract in Minnesota.“I’m very grateful for having crossed paths with him,” Cousins said. “And I’m always rooting for him. But certainly, though, we want to get the ‘W’ this week.”Indeed, they’re getting back together Thursday night in a compelling early season NFC showdown between McVay’s Rams (3-0) and Cousins’ Vikings (1-1-1).And both say they wouldn’t be there under the Coliseum lights without the other.“I feel fortunate to have worked with Kirk,” McVay said.“Sometimes you hear people talk about not having the strongest arm or whatever, (but) I’m not sure what film they’re watching,” McVay added.“He can make every single throw. I think he has the ability to speed it up with excellent twitch. He can change the launch point. So you’re not limited in any way that you can utilize him. And I couldn’t be happier for Kirk, and I’ll be rooting for him the rest of the year after Thursday night.”Their meeting will be an interesting barometer for both teams’ early season fortunes.The Rams have been largely outstanding during their unbeaten start to a season that has picked up right where McVay’s first team left off.But coach Mike Zimmer’s Vikings defense gave perhaps the most impressive performance of last season against the high-octane Rams, who managed only one early touchdown from Todd Gurley in a 24-7 loss at Minnesota.“We didn’t run the ball as well as we had in other games against this defense,” said Aaron Kromer, the Rams’ running game coordinator. “They’re a stout defense. They’re built to stop the run. That’s their No. 1 goal. … We have to do a much better job. I think we’re a lot smarter football team than we were in the past, so I hope that shows on Thursday night.”More things to watch:WEEKNIGHT PARTYThe Rams realize Thursday afternoon isn’t an ideal time to brave LA traffic for a football game at a stadium undergoing renovation that has severely curtailed its parking and tailgating.So they’re trying to make this important NFC game into a civic duty: McVay sent out a funny “memo” through newspapers and social media to all employers in Los Angeles, urging them to allow their employees to leave work early so they can head downtown for the 5:20 p.m. local start time — which he says is the “typical bedtime” of his 71-year-old defensive coordinator, Wade Phillips. They also got Vanessa Hudgens to sing the national anthem, while Compton rapper YG will perform in the second quarter.EARLY DEPARTUREThe Vikings flew to Los Angeles on Tuesday evening, hoping to better acclimate to the two-time-zone change. The Vikings are 1-5 in Thursday night road games Womens George Iloka Jersey , winning only at Dallas in 1978. Traveling cross-country to play one of the NFL’s best teams with three days of rest is a daunting task.“Yeah, it’s a problem,” coach Mike Zimmer said. “We haven’t had a home game on a short week since I’ve been here in five years. But you play the schedule how it is.”NOT A FANThe Rams are also unenthused about their short-week schedule, although they’re grateful they got to stay home for it. McVay joked that he’s running on “maybe two” hours of sleep per night. Last weekend, Gurley summed up many players’ feelings about Thursday football: “It’s the dumbest thing ever.”GOING WITHOUT GRIFFENThe Vikings will play without defensive end Everson Griffen, a captain and three-time Pro Bowl pick. The former USC star won’t make his Coliseum return while he is sidelined indefinitely for treatment of mental illness following a pattern of erratic and threatening behavior. With players, coaches and staff concerned about Griffen’s well-being, the show must go on. Stephen Weatherly had his first career sack against the Bills while starting in place of Griffen.INJURED CORNERSThe Rams have bigger problems than a late start time: Their star-studded defense is suddenly short-handed after former Pro Bowl cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters both incurred injuries in last week’s win over the Chargers.Talib needs ankle surgery and will be out for at least eight weeks. Peters’ calf injury isn’t so serious, but still might keep him out. The Rams are likely to go against Cousins with backup cornerbacks including Sam Shields, Troy Hill and Nickell Robey-Coleman.“I feel like we’re going to be great,” Robey-Coleman said. “I can’t take away from the hard work that every guy on this depth chart put in to get an opportunity to get on the field.”SLOW STARTAfter ranking seventh in the NFL last season in yards rushing, the Vikings are next-to-last with just 66 yards per game, although they’ve been throwing excessively with two late deficits in their first three games. There still hasn’t been much room for Dalvin Cook or Latavius Murray to run, and going against the Rams’ stout defensive line won’t help. Pat Elflein will return to the starting lineup at center, his rehab from offseason surgeries finally complete.“We’re not in panic mode. We’re not in that,” said Cook, who is expected to play after sitting out last week’s loss to Buffalo. “We’re going to get this thing going. It’s just a matter of time.”___AP Sports Writer Dave Campbell in Minneapolis contributed to this report.___ MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — With a boost from an illegal block penalty by the Buffalo Bills during a punt, the Minnesota Vikings finally crossed midfield with 9:36 left in the third quarter.Their next two plays were an incompletion and an interception.That was a fitting sequence in a game dominated from start to finish by Dalvin Cook Jersey , not the 16½-point favorite Vikings, but the previously winless Bills in the 27-6 decision .“I have not lost faith in this football team, but it just shows you every week is a new week,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. “You’ve got to go out and play. Just because somebody says that you’re supposed to win doesn’t mean that’s going to happen.”The Vikings (1-1-1) have returned from the NFC championship game appearance with again one of the strongest rosters in the league, a desirable mix of experience and potential going on five seasons under the guidance of Zimmer and his staff.The other reason why the boss didn’t sound worried about his team bouncing back was that he’s seen this type of total-breakdown performance before.In 2014, after beating Atlanta handily in quarterback Teddy Bridgewater’s first NFL start, the Vikings lost 42-10 at Green Bay four days later with an injured Bridgewater held out. In 2015, they opened the season on the road with a 20-3 defeat by a San Francisco team that finished 5-11.In 2016, with the playoffs still within reach despite a 1-6 stretch coming out of their bye week, the Vikings lost 34-6 at home to Indianapolis. Then there was the 38-7 blowout at Philadelphia that ended last season one game short of the Super Bowl.“If we want to get to where we want to be at the end of this, this might be a good thing. A kick in the tail every once in a while helps,” tight end Kyle Rudolph said. “I’m glad this happened in September.”This was the eighth time in 67 regular-season games under Zimmer the Vikings have lost by 17 or more points. They’ve won three of the follow-ups, but this one is on the road on Thursday night against the unbeaten Los Angeles Rams .Lost in the shuffle of this one-sided show on Sunday was a sack by blitzing linebacker Eric Wilson on Buffalo’s third play from scrimmage that would’ve forced a punt for the Bills from their 24-yard line.Wilson had quarterback Josh Allen well wrapped up as he began the takedown, when defensive tackle Linval Joseph joined the effort with a lowered head. The instant his helmet collided with Allen’s, the yellow flag flew into the air.First down, Buffalo.Aided by another 15-yard personal foul later on the drive by linebacker Anthony Barr for a facemask, the Bills finished the opening possession with a touchdown run by Allen and a lead that was never threatened. The Vikings had six penalties for 59 yards in the first half.“Penalties are always costly, man http://www.thevikingslockerroom.com/authentic-pat-elflein-jersey , no matter if you get one or however many we had,” linebacker Eric Kendricks said. “First down, second down, third down, it doesn’t matter. They always cost us, and they are not good.”Though the most devastating developments for the Vikings were the two lost fumbles by Kirk Cousins, triggered by sacks inside their 20-yard line on consecutive drives, the awful afternoon was full of preventable setbacks.On the last play of the first quarter, Allen was forced out of the pocket by Danielle Hunter on a play-action pass on second-and-17.Near the sideline, Allen threw back across his body to the middle for running back Chris Ivory and a 55-yard completion . Kendricks followed tight end Charles Clay to the flat, where cornerback Mackensie Alexander also arrived.Ivory sneaked behind Stephen Weatherly as the defensive end pursued Allen, and nobody was left in coverage.Nobody was willing to identify which player was at fault, but that was clearly a blown responsibility.As was the touchdown pass by Allen to tight end Jason Croom earlier in the game, when both Kendricks and cornerback Mike Hughes bit on a fake throw to running back Marcus Murphy. When Murphy motioned toward the sideline before the snap, Kendricks moved left but Hughes raised his hand as if to signal his intent to leave the slot for the flat.“We did all of the things,” Zimmer said, “that cause you to lose football games.”