WHAT SPORTS REPRESENTS IN TIMES LIKE THESE

A few hours after the L.A. Rams completed practice in Woodland Hills Thursday afternoon, the NFL announced that “in the interest of public safety,” Monday’s NFC wild-card game against the Minnesota Vikings would be moved from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. “The decision was made in consultation with public officials, the participating clubs and the NFLPA,” the league said in its statement.

During a press conference before the decision was announced, Rams coach Sean McVay remarked, “This is bigger than the game of football. It gives you perspective.”

McVay then provided that perspective. “What sports represents,” he said, “is an opportunity for people to come together and provide a temporary sense of relief from some of the things that they’re going through. And I am excited about the opportunity for our team to go compete, and people can be proud to have a team that represents a lot of things that are right about sports.”

Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell and offensive coordinator Wes Phillips contacted McVay this week after seeing devastating video of the fires. “More just friends checking up,” he said, “not necessarily worried about ‘how does that affect our game?’”

After practice, the Rams canceled media access to the locker room so players possibly affected by the Kenneth fire that broke out Thursday afternoon near Woodland Hills could leave, a team official told the L.A. Times.

This weekend, football fans in SoCal will have the opportunity to experience the aforementioned “temporary sense of relief.”

The winner of tonight’s game (on ESPN) between Ohio State and Texas at the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas, will meet Notre Dame in the College Football Playoffs championship, which will take place Monday, 1/20, at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Irish defeated Penn State 27-24 Thursday night at Miami's Orange Bowl in an instant classic.

Six NFL wild-card playoff matchups will be played this weekend, starting with the L.A. Chargers vs. the Houston Texans in Houston at 1:30 PT on CBS and Paramount+.

Below is the complete schedule of football games this weekend.