In the Los Angeles Rams Week 9 game against the Seattle Seahawks, star wide receiver Puka Nacua was ejected from the game for throwing a punch at Safety Coby Bryant.
So far, Nacua has only recorded one reception for 11 yards this game. In last week’s victory against the Minnesota Vikings, Nacua recorded seven receptions for 106 yards.
Nacua has been absent for a majority of this season due to injury, and his presence has been missed by the Rams, who went 2-4 without him.
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Fortunately, the Rams have plenty of weapons that make them a dangerous team, taking the game to overtime.
Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp has recorded 11 receptions for 109 yards and wide receiver Demarcus Robinson has made five catches for 55 yards and a touchdown.
The Rams’ defense also stepped up, with Kamren Kinchens recording two interceptions, and rookie Braden Fiske making 1.5 sacks.
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Nacua began his football career with the Washington Huskies in 2019. In two seasons at Washington, Nacua recorded 16 receptions for 319 yards and three touchdowns.
Nacua then transferred to BYU and immediately made his presence known. Across 12 games, Nacua recorded 43 receptions for 805 yards and six touchdowns. He also rushed for 148 yards on 14 attempts.
I his second year with BYU, Nacua recorded 48 receptions for 625 yards and five touchdowns across nine games.
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Last year, Nacua was selected by the Rams with the 177th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Despite low expectations, Nacua quickly became one of the best wide receivers in the league, recording 10 receptions for 119 yards in his first game against the Seahawks. Nacua wound up recording seven games for over 100 yards.
In total, Nacua caught 105 passes for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns. He also rushed 12 times for 89 yards.
For the regular season, Nacua was named to his first Pro Bowl, the PFWA All-Rookie Team, and was also second-team All-Pro.
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In the Rams’ Wild Card loss to the Detroit Lions, Nacua recorded nine receptions for 181 yards and one touchdown.
Nacua currently holds four NFL records: most receptions in a rookie season, most receiving yards in a rookie season, most receptions by a rookie in a single game (15), and most receiving yards by a rookie in a playoff game.
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