The Los Angeles Rams may have improved to 4-2 after an unimpressive 17-3 road win over the Baltimore Ravens, but the celebration didn’t last long. Star wide receiver Puka Nacua suffered a sprained ankle that could sideline him for multiple weeks, per reports from Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
“WR Puka Nacua, the NFL’s leader in catches, suffered an ankle sprain that will likely cause him to miss time,” Rapoport wrote on X. “It would make sense for Nacua to be out next week against the Jaguars, then L.A. has a bye to regroup and assess.”
The injury occurred midway through the second quarter when Nacua landed awkwardly after a deep pass attempt. He was helped to the locker room but later returned in the third quarter, though he wasn’t the same explosive weapon Rams fans have come to rely on. Nacua finished with just two catches for 28 yards in the victory.
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McVay: “We Were Being Smart” with the Puka Nacua Injury
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Following the game, head coach Sean McVay confirmed the team was cautious about pushing Nacua back onto the field.
“Puka tried to be able to give it a go, just didn’t feel good enough,” McVay said. “He maybe could have really pressed through, but we were kind of more being smart than anything.”
The Rams will stay in Baltimore before heading to London to face the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday. With a bye week immediately afterward, the team may choose to rest Nacua until their Week 9 home game against the New Orleans Saints.
What Puka Nacua’s Absence Means for the Rams
Losing Nacua, who leads the NFL with 54 receptions for 616 yards and two touchdowns, is a major blow to one of the league’s most efficient passing offenses. They currently rank third in passing yards per game (269.2), and Nacua’s connection with Matthew Stafford has been central to that success.
Without him, Los Angeles will turn to Davante Adams, Tutu Atwell, and Jordan Whittington to pick up the slack. Adams, though still finding chemistry with Stafford, is more than capable of serving as the go-to target in Nacua’s absence.
If the Rams can weather the next few weeks without their star receiver, they’ll enter a critical stretch—including games against the 49ers, Seahawks, and Buccaneers—with a healthier, rested Nacua ready to return for the playoff push.
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