Rams Suffer Massive Blow Before Cardinals Game

The Los Angeles Rams will be without a massive name when they battle the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2.

Jan 7, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (17) after the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images / Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

ARIZONA -- The Arizona Cardinals play host the Los Angeles Rams in Week 2 - though a notable star will be missing.

The Rams saw breakout receiver Puka Nacua go down with an injury during their Sunday Night Football loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 1, and now he'll be heading to injured reserve, causing him to miss the next four weeks according to Rams head coach Sean McVay.

#Rams WR Puka Nacua’s PCL injury will land him on IR, Sean McVay clarifies, so he’ll miss at least four games. It’s a new, more significant injury to the same ligament he’d previously injured.

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) September 9, 2024

The injury came in the first half for Nacua and though he tried to return, he eventually was sent to the locker room. Los Angeles lost the game in overtime and Nacua finished with four receptions and 35 yards.

Nacua and Cooper Kupp formed one of the strongest 1-2 WR punches in the league for Rams QB Matthew Stafford to target, though Los Angeles will be without a big portion of that production when they visit State Farm Stadium on Sunday.

Nacua - a fifth-round pick in 2023 - burst on the scene last season with 1,486 yards on 105 receptions and six touchdowns.

He earned Pro Bowl honors for his productive first season.

The Cardinals did a fairly strong job on Nacua during their two meetings against the Rams last season, limiting him to four catches in each contest for a combined 53 yards and no touchdowns.

However, Los Angeles did defeat Arizona in both matchups to sweep the Cardinals in 2023.

Playing the Rams is never easy, though the job of Cardinals defensive coordinator Nick Rallis did just get a bit easier this week.

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