On a sunny-or-not Sunday afternoon, with a comfortable lead and the clock draining, a handoff on the final play of a game against Washington turned an ordinary moment into a lasting cost for the Los Angeles Rams. Puka Nacua, one of the most productive young receivers the league has seen, left the field with ligament damage in his right knee and turf toe, and the team's coach, Sean McVay, has been left to weigh a decision that looks obvious only in hindsight. The Rams now face a familiar human problem in professional sport: how to keep going when the people you depend on are taken away, and the
McVay 'Kicking Himself' as Puka Nacua's Knee Injury on Final Play Likely Sends Rams Receiver to IR
Receiver Puka Nacua suffered a significant knee injury on the final play and faces an extended absence.
He questioned the decision over and over in his head
Mark
Why is this one landing so hard for the Rams?
Mimi
Because it's the second major receiver injury in a few weeks. Adams has been out since Week 6 with a torn hamstring, and now Nacua is likely headed to IR with MCL and PCL sprains plus turf toe.
Mark
And McVay is blaming himself publicly.
Mimi
He said he's kicking himself and has questioned the call over and over. The play was a third-down handoff, five yards, trying to end the game. He said he feels tremendous responsibility.
Luke
Worth noting that's his own read of the decision. The reporting doesn't say another play would have ended the game or avoided the hit.
Mark
What does IR mean in practical terms?
Mimi
At least four games: Cardinals, Packers, Chiefs and 49ers. That's a tough run to face without both top receivers.
Luke
Careful, though. The IR move is described as likely, not official. McVay indicated it, but the source doesn't confirm the placement or give a precise recovery timeline.
Mark
What can the Rams actually do about it?
Mimi
McVay said they'll look at all avenues, including a trade before the Nov. 10 deadline at 4 p.m. ET.
Luke
Looking is not doing. No target or deal is named, so whether anyone arrives is unknown.
Mark
And the stakes in the standings?
Mimi
They're 5-4 and would miss the playoffs today, with one of the hardest remaining schedules.
O Pulso
- Puka Nacua's right knee gave way on a final-play handoff, leaving the Rams' offense suddenly exposed.
- Sean McVay admits he keeps replaying the call, calling himself to account in front of reporters.
- Nacua is likely headed to injured reserve, sidelining him for at least four games with Davante Adams already out.
- The Rams have until the 4 p.m. ET trade deadline on Nov. 10 to find a receiver for Matthew Stafford, and time is running short.
On a sunny-or-not Sunday afternoon, with a comfortable lead and the clock draining, a handoff on the final play of a game against Washington turned an ordinary moment into a lasting cost for the Los Angeles Rams. Puka Nacua, one of the most productive young receivers the league has seen, left the field with ligament damage in his right knee and turf toe, and the team's coach, Sean McVay, has been left to weigh a decision that looks obvious only in hindsight. The Rams now face a familiar human problem in professional sport: how to keep going when the people you depend on are taken away, and the calendar offers little room to wait.
On the final play of Sunday's win over Washington, with the Rams trying to run out the clock, Matthew Stafford handed the ball to Puka Nacua on third down. Nacua gained five yards, but took a hard hit to his right knee and stayed down longer than anyone liked before walking off under his own power. The damage was real: an MCL sprain, a PCL sprain and turf toe, with injured reserve now the likely next step.
McVay did not hide behind the outcome. He told reporters he had replayed that last snap again and again, wondering whether a different option would have ended the game without Nacua taking that blow. He spoke of the responsibility he feels for protecting players while still asking them to shine, and said plainly that he is kicking himself.
The timing makes the loss heavier. Davante Adams has been out since tearing a hamstring in Week 6, and with Nacua likely joining him, the two receivers Stafford relies on most would both be gone. An IR stint would keep Nacua out for at least four games, a hard stretch against Arizona, Green Bay, Kansas City and San Francisco.
Nacua's production makes the absence hard to absorb. Even after missing two games with a hip injury, he has 70 catches for 715 yards and four touchdowns, the most receptions by any player through his first seven NFL games. McVay said the Rams will explore every avenue, including a trade before Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline, to find someone Stafford can throw to. At 5-4, with a tough schedule ahead, the answer to that search will say a lot about what comes next.
On the last play of Sunday's game, with the Los Angeles Rams ahead of the Washington Commanders and trying to run out the clock, quarterback Matthew Stafford handed the ball to Puka Nacua on third down. Nacua gained five yards. He also took a hard hit and stayed on the ground longer than anyone expected before getting up and walking off under his own power.
The damage turned out to be significant. Nacua has an MCL sprain and a PCL sprain in his right leg, along with turf toe, and he is very likely headed to injured reserve. Head coach Sean McVay said as much when he spoke to reporters on Monday.
McVay did not step around his part in it. He told reporters, as reported by ESPN, that he'd be lying if he said he hadn't replayed the decision on that final snap over and over, wondering whether another option might have converted and ended the game without Nacua absorbing a violent hit to the right knee. He said he feels tremendous responsibility, and that the staff has to find a way to protect players while still putting them in positions that help the team and let them shine. By his own account, he is kicking himself.
The timing compounds a problem the Rams already had at receiver. Davante Adams has been out since tearing a hamstring in Week 6 against the Arizona Cardinals, and he is expected to be gone for quite a while. With Nacua likely joining him, the team's top two receivers would both be sidelined.
An IR placement would cost Nacua at least the next four games, against the Cardinals, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers. That is a demanding stretch to navigate without either of the receivers Stafford leans on most.
The loss is a real one on the field. Stafford is comfortable throwing to Nacua from anywhere on the field. Even after missing Weeks 2 and 3 with a hip injury, Nacua has 70 catches for 715 yards and four touchdowns. Those 70 receptions are the most any player has recorded through his first seven games in NFL history.
McVay said the Rams will look at all avenues to add a receiver, including a trade before the NFL deadline of 4 p.m. ET on Nov. 10. Stafford needs someone to throw to, and the clock on acquiring that person is short.
The broader season has not gone as the Rams or the wider football world expected. They are 5-4 after Week 9 and would be outside the playoff field if the season ended now. Injuries to players including Myles Garrett, Aaron Donald and Jaylen Watson, among many others, have pushed McVay and his staff to get creative filling gaps, and they face one of the league's hardest remaining schedules. Whether a trade lands before the deadline will be the first sign of how they intend to answer.
Citações Notáveis
He'd be lying if he said he hasn't questioned the decision-making on that last play over and over, and he feels tremendous responsibility for it.— Sean McVay, Rams head coach, via ESPN
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