Puka Nacua’s comeback was expected to provide a boost to the Los Angeles Rams’ chances of making the NFC playoffs. However, on Sunday, the young receiver opted to take that boost literally.

The standout Rams receiver received an ejection during the Week 9 game against the Seattle Seahawks after throwing a punch at Tyrel Dodson. This incident occurred after Seattle intercepted a pass from Matthew Stafford with only 27 seconds left in the first half. Nacua had a frustrating game overall, managing just one catch for 11 yards on four targets.

Thanks to the turnover, Seattle capitalized by scoring a touchdown, leading 13-3 at halftime. Ultimately, the Rams triumphed in overtime with a score of 26-20, bringing their record to 4-4, while the Seahawks dropped to 4-5. The NFC West remains competitive, with the Rams just half a game behind the Arizona Cardinals (5-4) and tied with the reigning NFC champions, the San Francisco 49ers, also at 4-4.

Rams WR Depth Chart

The Rams are facing a challenge at the receiver position without Nacua. With Jordan Whittington already unavailable, Los Angeles had only four healthy receivers for the second half of the game on Sunday. Cooper Kupp is expected to shoulder the majority of the workload, while Demarcus Robinson and Tutu Atwell will play more significant roles. Tyler Johnson, who hasn’t had much involvement in the passing game, will likely get more opportunities due to the limited options.

• Cooper Kupp
• Demarcus Robinson
• Tutu Atwell
• Tyler Johnson

Puka Nacua’s Stats

After an impressive rookie season, Nacua’s performance in his second year has been underwhelming. Sunday marked only his third game of the season, primarily due to a knee injury he worsened in Week 1. He was activated off the injured reserve right before the Week 8 game against the Minnesota Vikings, where he made an impact with seven catches for 106 yards, showcasing his potential when healthy.

By the end of Week 9, he had totaled 11 catches for 141 yards across three games, a significant drop from his previous season’s stats of 105 receptions and 1,486 yards. Notably, Nacua has yet to score a touchdown this season, in contrast to six touchdowns he achieved in his rookie year.

(This story has been updated with new details.)