LOS ANGELES – What a shooting. For all the complaints about the Thursday night football games, the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings have done their best to get NFL fans treated mid-week.

The Rams, who won a stellar 38-31 victory, explained why they ranked among the favorites to win a Super Bowl, and the Vikings refused to rank despite losing and overtaking by their hosts.

It was an electrifying duel of quarterbacks. The winner, Jared Goff, had 26 passes for 33 passes for 465 yards and five touchdowns – and no interceptions. Meanwhile, Kirk Cousins ​​completed 34 of his 48 passes for 400 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions.

But the difference was the Rams' defense, which made big saves in key moments.

Here are three things we learned in this game.

1. Jared Goff is electric. The third year pro plays as an elite quarterback. His first line of statistics in the semifinals looked better than the full productions of some starters. In the second quarter alone, he completed six of eight passes for 194 yards and three touchdowns. The confidence and accuracy with which it launches reflects the maturity and comfort of the system, and the understanding that it has defenses. The Rams have just so many weapons that a defense must take into account, and they also have a game master and a game architect in coach Sean McVay.

2. The Rams defense is just nasty. Their defensive front has completely overwhelmed the Vikings at times. Minnesota moved the ball at impressive times, but he did not have a consistent answer for Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh and their teammates. Donald finally got his first bag of the season. But do not think for a second that it did not have a major impact on the games. He commands so many doubles teams that he frees his teammates for great games.

PLUS NFL:

Work through "personal problems": Vikings' Griffen vows back in Instagram post

Choice of week 4: Can the Steelers keep AFC North tight?

Questions of the week 4: Will the patriots bounce back?

3. The Vikings' defense has real problems to solve. Not only did they give 38 points, but they also gave up 556 yards (most of the time by a Mike Zimmer defense). The Vikings struggled to put pressure on Goff, and they continually missed coverage. The Rams routinely had hatches uncovered on the ground. The Vikings also struggled with their tackle. Todd Gurley turned a screen pass into a 56-yard gain. It was the third time in the last four games that Minnesota has dropped a ball over 50 yards off the backfield. It is easy to try to justify the below normal performance as a product of a powerful Rams attack. But the Vikings' defense did not seem to be the formidable unit that helped this team reach the NFC championship game last season.

Follow USA TODAY Sports & # 39; Mike Jones on Twitter @ByMikeJones.

If you like to talk about football, we have the perfect place for you. Join our new Facebook group, The Ruling Off the Field, to engage in a friendly debate and chat with other football fans and our NFL insiders.