Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua have missed most of the season due to injury, and the Los Angeles Rams’ dismal record reflected it.
When both star receivers came back for the same prime-time showcase, they provided exactly what Matthew Stafford and the Rams have been missing all year — and it was something the Minnesota Vikings couldn’t match.
Kupp caught a touchdown pass and Nacua had 106 yards receiving in their returns to the lineup, and Stafford passed for 279 yards and four TDs in the Los Angeles Rams ‘ 30-20 victory over the Vikings on Thursday night.
Demarcus Robinson caught two TD passes from Stafford for the Rams (3-4), who won back-to-back games for the first time this season with 386 yards from an offense that looked exponentially more dangerous with its top two receivers in uniform.
“They brought a lot of energy to our team, and a ton of confidence,” said Stafford, who had thrown just three TD passes in the Rams’ first six games combined. “It’s not only just the offense. I know the defense feels it too when those guys are out there making plays.”
After missing the previous five games, Nacua had seven catches while posting the eighth 100-yard game of his short career. Kupp returned from a four-game absence with five catches for 51 yards, including a 27-yard grab for a key first down late in the fourth quarter.
“It was just so much fun,” Kupp said. “Offensively, we were just able to find ways to keep the sticks moving. Guys were just doing their jobs, and it was pretty cool to see us going.”
Kyren Williams rushed for 97 yards and caught an early TD pass for the Rams. Robinson caught a 25-yard TD pass late in the third quarter to put Los Angeles ahead, and he made a 10-yard TD catch with 6:17 to play for a 28-20 lead.
Byron Young then sacked Sam Darnold for a safety with 1:36 left, grabbing Darnold’s facemask on the play. Officials didn’t throw a flag, sealing the Rams’ second win in five days after going 1-4 before their bye.
“I believe in this group,” said coach Sean McVay, who became the winningest coach in Rams history with his 80th victory. “I saw resolve. I didn’t see a flinch. … We’ve done a good job of getting ourselves back to where we wanted to be.”
McVay also won his first head-to-head meeting with Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, who was his offensive coordinator during the Rams’ Super Bowl championship season three years ago.
“I think we were close on some plays,” O’Connell said. “But when you’re playing against that quarterback, and those receivers getting healthy and getting out there and making some plays for them, I just think it comes down to (whether we) can get enough rush and coverage working together to maybe not give a quarterback like that a couple extra clicks.”
Darnold passed for 240 yards for the Vikings (5-2), who followed up their first loss of the season with an ineffective defensive performance. Minnesota also lost starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw to a left knee injury late in the first half.
Justin Jefferson had eight receptions for 115 yards, while Josh Oliver and Trent Sherfield caught TD passes from Darnold. Minnesota was held to two field goals in the final three quarters.
“As an offense, we’ve got to just be more consistent,” Darnold said. “The facemask, it is what it is. I thought we could have done a lot to not put ourselves in the situation we were in.”
Stafford threw at least four TD passes for the 16th time in his career, including four with the Rams. The veteran also passed Dan Marino for ninth place in NFL history in total completions.
Both teams scored touchdowns on their first two drives in front of a sellout crowd at SoFi Stadium. Darnold went 8 for 8 on those drives, while Stafford clearly enjoyed having his two favorite targets back in uniform.
Williams caught a short pass on the Rams’ opening drive and scored a touchdown in his 10th consecutive game. The Vikings hadn’t allowed a TD in the first quarter all season, and the Rams hadn’t scored on their first drive all season.
Byron Murphy intercepted an overthrown pass by Stafford in the third, and Minnesota went up 17-14 after Jefferson extended the drive with a bobbling, one-handed reception.
Injuries
Vikings: TE T.J. Hockenson (knee) and G Dalton Risner (back) were out. … Darrisaw got injured while Minnesota was trying to run out the clock to end the first half. O’Connell had no postgame update.
Rams: Rookie WR Jordan Whittington was inactive with a shoulder injury. … S Kam Curl injured his knee in the first quarter, but returned in the second.
Up next
Vikings: Host Indianapolis in a Sunday night game on Nov. 3.
Rams: At Seattle on Nov. 3.
