The Los Angeles Rams need a win on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks like a movie-goer needs a bathroom break 90 minutes after chugging a large soda at the start of a feature film. The movie Rams fans hope to see on Sunday is one that has a good ending. However, at 3-6, every win left on the calendar will take everyone, but some more than others. Here’s why Puka Nacua needs to explode for the Rams to deliver a loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Puka Nacua Vs Seattle
Cooper Kupp will have the full attention of the defense on Sunday. As such, it will be up to Matthew Stafford to throw at Puka Nacua in single coverage. He’s proven an ability to break out at times this season. However, it has been relatively quiet for the rookie from BYU over the last three games. His last game with more than 45 yards came nearly a month ago on October 22nd.
As such, the Seahawks might not be as focused on him as on Kupp. With Kyren Williams still out, Nacua is the team’s main option in exposing the second level of the defense. If Stafford can get even just one or two big plays over the top, he can begin playing a cat-and-mouse game with Seahawks defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt.
Hurtt would then be forced to adapt his coverages, which would open up Cooper Kupp more often. That said, in order to get to that point, the Rams will need to take on the crack in the Seahawks defense and wedge it wide open. The team is ranked 22nd in passing yards surrendered during the year, so there is a decent shot of winning with a pass-first offense.
Kupp has been relatively quiet as well with his last breakout game coming in early October, but the wide receiver still has enough notoriety built up for his past action that it’s going to take much longer than a month for defenses to forget about him. That said, the hope is that Puka Nacua can make Clint Hurtt do just that for even one play. If that happens, the Rams could turn heads around the NFL, if only by 30 degrees.
