Puka Nacua Shines in Return, Draws High Praise from Sean McVay
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua caught seven passes for 106 yards in a 30-20 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday after missing his last five-plus games with a sprained MCL in his right knee.
His performance clearly thrilled head coach Sean McVay, who had this to say postgame, per NFL Network’s Bridget Condon.
Nacua was listed as questionable on the injury report but started and made an immediate impact, catching two passes for 34 yards on the opening drive, which ended with a Kyren Williams touchdown.
Per Pro Football Focus (h/t Underdog), Nacua played 40-of-71 snaps (56.3 percent). That’s far less than his usual workload, as Nacua played more than 90 percent of snaps in the majority of his games last year.
But Nacua still made a tremendous impact, leading the Rams with nine targets. He also authored the most impressive play of the game, dancing along the sidelines for this 19-yard catch.
Ultimately, the Rams are certainly happy to see Nacua back. He was initially expected to miss five-to-seven weeks and returned in the earlier portion of the timeline.
L.A. also welcomed back wideout Cooper Kupp, who had been out since Week 2 with a sprained ankle. Kupp scored a touchdown, one of four that quarterback Matthew Stafford threw to pass-catchers on this evening.
Now the Rams are 3-4, riding a two-game winning streak with sights set on an NFC West title after residing in the division basement two games ago. Up next is a road date with the NFC West-leading Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 3.
