The Los Angeles Rams gave a glimpse into what would be one of the franchise’s best season turnarounds when they took on the then 5-1 Minnesota Vikings in Week 8.
The Rams were 2-4 having just beaten the hapless Las Vegas Raiders coming out of the Week 6 bye. Not many were giving LA much of a shot, with the bettors favoring the Vikings as a three-point road favorite.
Not only was there a perceived talent disparity based on the team’s records, but the Rams were also missing their top two receiving targets for much of the season at that point. Heading into this game, Cooper Kupp was a full participant in practice and was expected to play.
Meanwhile, the team had just opened Puka Nacua’s window to return from injured reserve. Nacua was limited in practice and listed as questionable for the game. Given head coach Sean McVay’s modus operandi, most expected Nacua to play a limited amount of snaps, if at all.
But he did play. A lot. And he had a great game. Surprise! Nacua caught seven passes for 106 yards, 52 yards after the catch, and moved the sticks six times.
Rams Caught Vikings Defense Unprepared
If it seemed like the Vikings were unprepared for Nacua, it is because they admittedly were. On Tuesday, Vikings defensive coordinator, Brian Flores told team reporter Alec Lewis;
“Vikings DC Brian Flores admitted that [the] team was scrambling before [the] Rams game earlier this year with Nacua active. Said they hadn’t expected it, given Nacua was just returning from [his] 21-day window.”
The subtext of that statement is that LA won’t have that same advantage heading into their rematch in the Wild Card round of the NFL Playoffs next Monday. Nacua accounted for 38 percent of the Rams’ passing yards in that game. His main competition was veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who posted his worst day of the year in this game.
On the year, the Vikings have the league’s best pass defense by DVOA. They were the 31st-ranked passing defense by EPA per play in that game.