Rams’ offense takes off in impressive win over Vikings

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Los Angeles Rams held on to defeat the Minnesota Vikings 30-20 on “Thursday Night Football.”

The Rams got two key starters — wide receivers Cooper Kupp (ankle) and Puka Nacua (knee) — back from injury and scored a season-high 30 points against a Vikings team that entered the game ranked No. 1 in defensive DVOA.

Los Angeles got just a glimpse of its top two receivers on the field together in its season opener before Nacua injured a knee in the loss. Kupp sprained an ankle the week after, and the offense struggled to find consistency without the pair on the field.

The return of Kupp and Nacua opened up the field for the Rams and quarterback Matthew Stafford, who completed passes to nine different players in the victory. Nacua led the way with nine targets, while Kupp had eight and running back Kyren Williams had seven.

The win boosted the Rams’ record to 3-4, with two of those three victories coming four days apart. And despite the Rams’ 1-4 start, Los Angeles enters the weekend tied with the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals at 3-4. The Rams are just one game back from the division-leading Seattle Seahawks.

Los Angeles plays in Seattle in Week 9.

Most surprising performance: The Rams kept Nacua’s return quiet, activating him from injured reserve despite the fact he couldn’t practice because of the short week.

But Stafford went to Nacua early and often on Thursday night, and the second-year receiver led the Rams with seven catches for 106 yards on nine targets.

Nacua played 35 of 65 offensive snaps for Los Angeles.

QB breakdown: Stafford entered the game with just three passing touchdowns this season.

He more than doubled that on Thursday night, throwing two in the first half and two in the second half to wide receiver Demarcus Robinson.

Stafford had one of his best games of the season, completing 24 of 33 passes for 270 yards and an interception.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Stopping Justin Jefferson.

Jefferson, the receiver Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula called “the best in the world” leading up to this game, had eight catches for 115 yards on Thursday night.

The Rams’ pass defense entered the game ranked 30th in DVOA, and the group struggled to stop the Vikings’ best player.

Next game: at Seahawks (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, Nov. 3)

Who are the Minnesota Vikings? The team that dominated its first five games of the season with the biggest point differential in the NFL? Or the one that has now lost two games in five days?

That’s what Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell and his staff will be thinking about as they travel back to Minnesota after Thursday’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

It’s one thing to have dropped a two-point game last Sunday to the Detroit Lions, who might well be the best team in football. But the Rams were 2-4 before Thursday night and reportedly have considered trading receiver Cooper Kupp, one of the cornerstones of the franchise, in a possible concession to the season.

The answer is often somewhere in the middle. ESPN’s Football Power Index projected the Vikings to win 6.8 games for the season, and they’re highly likely to eclipse that mark. And there will be a lot of discussion about the uncalled face mask penalty when the Rams sacked quarterback Sam Darnold for what turned out to be the game-sealing safety.

But after watching the Vikings’ defense give up four touchdown passes to Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and big chunks of yards in between, and knowing the difficult task they have of playing in the NFC North, it’s clear we don’t yet know how good this team can be.

Describe the game in two words: Jefferson breakout.

Jefferson entered the game with 531 receiving yards in six games, fifth most in the NFL, but he had only one 100-yard performance before Thursday night.

In fact, he said last week: “I’m definitely sick of having these 80-, 90-yard games. I’ve definitely got to get over that hump over 100 yards. It’s going to be one of these games that we’re going to show the world what we’re really capable of, and hopefully it’s Thursday night.”

Jefferson eclipsed the 100-yard mark with a juggling 27-yard reception in the third quarter and finished with 115 yards on eight catches.

Troubling trend: Left tackle Christian Darrisaw was ruled out after suffering a left knee injury late in the second quarter.

There was no immediate word on the severity of the injury, but he needed assistance from medical staff to get off the field and into the locker room.

The Vikings have a competent veteran backup in David Quessenberry, and they’ll have a few extra days to prepare for their Week 9 game against the Colts. But make no mistake, Darrisaw is one of the NFL’s top left tackles, one who is worth every penny of the five-year, $140 million contract extension he signed last week, and it would be an enormous loss if he misses extended time.

Biggest hole in the game plan: The Vikings couldn’t find a way to get to Stafford for most of the game.

They pressured him on only three of 34 dropbacks. And even then, he completed a pass against all three of those pressures, including a 7-yard touchdown pass to Kupp in the second quarter in which he eluded defensive tackle Harrison Phillips and linebacker Jonathan Greenard.

Pass rush had been a key to the Vikings’ hot start this season, and before Thursday they had managed at least a 24.6% pressure rate in every game.

Next game: vs. Colts (8:20 p.m. ET, Sunday, Nov. 3)

Source: www.espn.com