The Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams faced off on Sunday Night Football of Wild Card Weekend. The game finished with the Lions winning 24-23, giving them their first playoff win in 31 seasons.
Despite losing, there were still some bright spots. On such bright spot was rookie receiver Puka Nacua, who continued his impressive run. What happened?
Puka Nacua’s Impressive Rookie Run Continues
The game started with fireworks for the majority of the first half. The Lions struck first with a David Montgomery one-yard rushing touchdown.
The Lions would score a touchdown on their first three drives of the game.
However, the Rams responded, scoring on each of their first three drives as well. The game went into the half with the Lions up 21-17.
The second half was much slower, with just nine combined points. Both teams kicked a field goal in the third quarter, and the Rams kicked their final three points in the fourth quarter.
However, they were unable to score again with 8:13 left in the game.
The game was Matthew Stafford’s first return to Detroit since being traded a few years ago. In his return, he completed 25 of 37 passes for 367 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions.
“We would’ve never been in this situation without Matthew Stafford’s leadership, his guidance, his resilience,” said Rams head coach Sean McVay.
Nacua was Stafford’s main target, though. On the night, he caught nine passes for 181 yards and one touchdown. His stat line gave him the most receiving yards by a rookie in a playoff game in NFL history. “This guy is a freakin’ warrior … This guy is going to be a problem for a long time,” said McVay.
Puka Nacua sets a rookie record for receiving yards in a playoff game!
📺: #LARvsDET on NBC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/upLPjD2Lhe— NFL (@NFL) January 15, 2024
“Puka, he’s a heck of a receiver,” said Lions head coach Dan Campbell. Nacua’s 181 yards was the most he had in a single game all season, with the next best being 164 against the New Orleans Saints in Week 16.
Nacua, who was drafted in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, set records in the regular season too. In 17 games, he caught 105 passes for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns. He set the rookie record for both receptions and receiving yards in a season. On top of his numbers, he was named a Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro.
Nacua’s dominant night didn’t come without any concern, though. In the second half of the game, he went to the blue tent to be evaluated for a concussion. Upon his return, he was nearly pulled out of the game by referees, but it was determined he was already evaluated and cleared by the UNC.
Nacua is a finalist for the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, which will be announced prior to the Super Bowl. His main competition will be Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, who has had a magnificent season in his own right.
Coming into the year, the Rams were not expected to have much success, with many predicting them to be one of the worst teams in the NFL. Despite that, Puka and other young players, such as Kyren Williams and Kobie Turner, and veterans, such as Stafford, Aaron Donald, and Cooper Kupp, all proved otherwise.
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“Really appreciate this group; they helped me find my way again,” said McVay. “We’ve got a lot of really key and critical guys that we’re excited about building.”
For the Lions, they will advance to the Divisional Round and host another playoff game. They will face either the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Philadelphia Eagles. The Rams, on the other hand, will direct their attention to the offseason.
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