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By Bryan Colbert Jr.
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Puka Nacua caught the 7-yard touchdown pass that put the Los Angeles Rams ahead for good in Sunday’s 20-13 win over Washington. But on the final offensive snap, he took a handoff, gained five yards and injured his knee.
Now the Rams expect to place Nacua on injured reserve, a move that would keep him out for at least four games.
ESPN reported Monday that Rams coach Sean McVay expects Nacua to go on injured reserve with MCL and PCL sprains as well as turf toe.
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If the Rams make the move before Sunday’s game at Arizona, the earliest Nacua would be eligible to play is Dec. 20 against the Dallas Cowboys.
The loss comes just as Los Angeles has won three-straight to climb above .500.
Matthew Stafford targeted Nacua 19 times in Sunday’s 20-13 win. Nacua caught 14 passes for a season-high 150 yards, accounting for nearly two-thirds of Stafford’s 228 passing yards.
In the third quarter, Commanders’ safety Nick Cross intercepted a pass intended for Nacua, setting up the field goal that tied the game at 13.
But like he always does, Stafford went right back to his number one receiver. A 19-yard completion to Nacua put the Rams at the Washington 17 on the final play of the quarter.
Five plays later, Stafford found him again for the 7-yard touchdown that put Los Angeles ahead for good.
Nacua has 70 catches for 715 yards and four touchdowns in seven appearances this season. Twenty-five of those catches came in his last two games.
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Even Sunday’s 14-catch performance fell short of his season high. He caught a career-best 17 passes against Buffalo in Week 5.
The timing of the Rams’ bye stretches the absence across five weeks.
After Arizona, Los Angeles has Week 11 off before hosting Green Bay and Kansas City, then visits San Francisco on Dec. 13.
If Nacua goes on injured reserve as expected, both the Cardinals and 49ers will get a chance to face the Rams without the receiver who averaged 10 catches every time he took the field this season.
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