The Los Angeles Rams improved to 3-4 with their 30-20 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday Night Football, led by the returns of Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua.
Kupp caught a touchdown while Nacua hauled in seven of his nine targets for a team-high 106 receiving yards. Kupp was expected to play in Week 8, but Nacua’s return was more of a surprise considering he was activated from injured reserve only a few days prior.
Nacua wasted no time making his presence felt for the Rams, which head coach Sean McVay immediately noticed from the sidelines. “There were a lot of moments. I think the moment I realized alright, this maniac is really back is when he just stands under the goalpost during our team warmups and just kind of goes back and forth,” McVay answered when asked if there was a moment when he realized Nacua is truly back.
“[Offensive Assistant/Pass Game Specialist] Nate Scheelhaase was kind of looking for him, I said, ‘Oh, hey, that let you know he’s ready to go, just leave him be.’ Really right away. I thought it was good to get that first little drop out of the way and then you get him a second touch on the second play of the game where he ends up catching the screen, breaking a tackle to get a first down.
“His energy, his passion, and his love for the game… this guy is an igniter in every sense of the word. It was awesome having him back out there. I love him.”
Rams’ Sean McVay praises Puka Nacua’s run-blocking
In addition to making a big impact with his pass-catching skills, Puka Nacua set some good blocks for the Rams’ run game. “That was where I was so bummed because people just see the stats that are incredible, but he does so much for the production of the run game,” Sean McVay said of Nacua.
“He enables us to be in really different personnel groupings. You guys heard me mention a lot of special players on their defense that are movable pieces or like what Michael Hoecht is to us defensively. That’s what Puka Nacua is. He just happens to be an All-Pro receiver that has all these stats, accolades, and the fantasy numbers that people get enamored with, but you watch what he did on fourth down-and-one, that play doesn’t convert. Those are stops against the Raiders that we had last week and then here he is being able to get a hat on a hat.
“The guy’s a stud, he loves the game, he loves to compete, and I think he gets as much excitement out of catching a touchdown as he does springing a block for Kyren [Williams]. You guys can see that by the authentic enthusiasm and joy he plays with. He brings out the best in everyone around him and that’s as big compliment as I could say.”
