Puka Nacua racks up over 100 yards in return as Rams-Vikings ends in controversy

The Los Angeles Rams were expected to person Cooper Kupp backmost successful the fold connected Thursday night, but nary 1 expected Puka Nacua to beryllium backmost arsenic well. 

And they decidedly didn't expect him to rack up implicit 100 yards to assistance the Rams to a large 30-20 triumph implicit the NFC's champion squad by record, the Minnesota Vikings. 

Matthew Stafford threw 4 touchdowns connected the night, including 1 to Kupp, though the seasoned wideout's nighttime wasn't the champion instrumentality to the offense. Nacua had 106 yards connected 7 catches successful a shocking show fixed his signifier model conscionable opened up this week. 

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Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings successful the 3rd 4th astatine SoFi Stadium connected October 24, 2024 successful Inglewood, California.  (Harry How/Getty Images)

Kupp, though, had 5 catches for 51 yards with his people successful his archetypal crippled since injuring his ankle successful Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals.

But determination was monolithic contention astatine the extremity of this game, arsenic the Vikings’ last thrust of the crippled ended with what appeared to beryllium a facemask connected backmost Sam Darnold successful the extremity zone. 

Instead, officials wholly missed Byron Young grabbing Darnold’s facemask, and it was ruled a information instead. 

RAMS ACTIVATE PUKA NACUA FROM INJURED RESERVE AFTER 5-GAME ABSENCE

With the Vikings down 8 points successful a two-minute drill, determination was decidedly capable clip to get the shot downfield for a imaginable necktie with a two-point conversion. But the drive, and the game, ended with the information and a failed onside punt (if determination is specified a thing). 

Justin Jefferson, who had a game-high 115 yards connected 8 receptions, slammed his helmet connected the sideline, knowing his squad was robbed of a accidental astatine imaginable overtime. 

But the Vikings weren’t capable to get thing truly going connected discourtesy since the archetypal quarter, wherever they scored a touchdown connected their opening 2 drives. 

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) runs the shot against the Detroit Lions during the 4th fourth astatine U.S. Bank Stadium. (Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images)

The Rams, though, were capable to lucifer them, and it had a batch to bash with Nacua, who proved to not conscionable beryllium a decoy thrown retired connected the enactment of scrimmage by caput manager Sean McVay. His efforts connected the opening thrust helped Stafford & Co. get down the tract to headdress their thrust with a passing touchdown to prima moving backmost Kyren Williams. 

Williams, who has gotten into the extremity portion successful each crippled this season, totaled 97 yards connected 23 carries with 5 catches for 19 yards done the aerial arsenic well. 

In the 2nd half, portion Nacua and Kupp were thriving, Demarcus Robinson recovered the extremity portion twice, which were his lone catches for 35 yards. 

For Stafford, helium had 279 yards with 4 touchdowns and 1 interception connected 25-of-34 passing, portion Darnold posted 18-for-25 for 240 yards.

Puka Nacua #17 of the Los Angeles Rams and Cooper Kupp #10 earlier a crippled against the Minnesota Vikings astatine SoFi Stadium connected October 24, 2024 successful Inglewood, California.  (Harry How/Getty Images)

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Also, for the Vikings, Aaron Jones added 58 yards connected the crushed and 37 done the aerial for 95 yards from scrimmage. 

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