Kupp, Nacua fuel Rams’ win against Vikings

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The big news for the Los Angeles Rams, before they took the field to play the Minnesota Vikings in a Thursday Night Football game, was having wide receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp suited up and ready to play. 

“It was great,” Kupp said about being back on the field playing again with his teammates.  “I had so much fun. I love going to work with them. Obviously, going to work and all the time that you spend, you know, preparing…it’s days like today and being able to compete with them. That makes it pretty special.”   

Quarterback Matthew Stafford came ready to play, too. Having Nacua and Kupp back on the football with Stafford’s sharp passing was good. 

Stafford threw four touchdowns (25 of 34 for 279 yards passing), Kupp found himself on the receiving end of one of those scoring tosses, and Nacua reminded everyone why he was voted as Rookie of the Year last season in the Rams’ 30-20 win at SoFi Stadium.    

“Here’s what I would say, it’s always a combination but there’s a confidence, there’s a comfort, there’s a rapport that’s been established with Stafford and Kupp over years and then Nacua and Stafford last year and then leading into this season,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said. “These guys are ballers. Matthew brought out the best in everybody, but I thought Puka and Cooper were ready to go. They made an impact.” 

The win gives the Rams two straight after starting the season at 1-4. Four takeaways helped the Rams claim their second win of the season. Against the Vikings, Stafford and LA’s offense proved to be the difference. That’s because Nacua and Kupp require heavy attention from the defense. 

When that happens, players like Demarcus Robinson, reap the benefits. Robinson caught two passes from Stafford, both touchdowns. The two touchdowns that Robinson caught were in the second half. In the third quarter, he caught a 25-yard dart down the sideline from Stafford. 

“It was kind of a designed little choice route inside for Cooper, but to be honest with you, there’s something that happened in the huddle before the snap. I’m like ‘Hey, [WR Demarcus Robinson] ‘D-Rob’ we may be alive on this,’ and just felt like we might catch man-coverage,” Stafford said in describing his first scoring toss to Robinson. 

Robinson’s last touchdown gave the Rams a 28-20 cushion in the fourth quarter.    

“That’s what [Demarcus Robinson] ‘D-Rob’ does. He makes plays for us and when his number was called, he made it tonight,” Stafford added.   

After being injured in the Rams’ season-opener against the Detroit Lions, Nacua missed the next five games before being activated for the Minnesota game. The second-year wide receiver picked up where he left off with three catches for 50 yards in the first quarter. He ended the night with seven catches for 106 yards. 

“I was really excited to go and hit somebody,” Nacua said. “My first pass was dropped, so it definitely made me more excited like the next person that’s in front of me I definitely got to punish him for it.”    

Stafford didn’t wait long to get Nacua involved, firing a pass on LA’s play of its opening series to Nacua. The play turned out to be an incomplete pass, but Stafford made it clear he wasn’t going to be shy about trying to get Nacua the ball. 

Coming off a 20-15 win against the Las Vegas Raiders where the passing game did not do a whole lot (154 yards passing from Stafford), Kupp and Nacua figure to open that point of production up for the Rams’ offensive unit. 

That was evident on the Rams’ first two drives. Nacua was all over the field, catching 4 passes for 64 yards. Kupp was the recipient of Stafford’s second passing touchdown of the game. 

The Rams and Minnesota were fit to be tied at the half at 14-14. The Nacua and Kupp connection helped jumpstart the Rams’ offense in the first half, at least through those first two series. 

Those first two drives represented the explosive potential of the Rams’ offense.       

With Stafford looking for both Nacua and Kupp, the Rams’ offense started to get bogged down. But then Stafford changed things up on a drive that finally gave the Rams their first lead of the game. Robinson’s first touchdown late in the third quarter was a continuation of what the Rams were trying to do. 

Stafford hit Tutu Atwell for a big gain. Then he came within milliseconds of hooking up with Atwell on a long pass. It looked like Minnesota’s defenders got caught napping on Robinson and Atwell as Nacua and Kupp were the prime focus in the first half.  

Top Image Caption: Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (17) looks for room to run against the Minnesota Vikings during a Thursday Night Football game on Oct. 24, 2024. The Rams defeated the Vikings 30-20 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Photo credit: Mark Hammond/News4usonline