Puka Nacua came up short of the end zone in the Los Angeles Rams’ disappointing season-opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 10 in Melbourne, Australia. With the Rams returning to the field for Monday Night Football against the New York Giants, it will be 11 days since that game, and Nacua’s search for his first touchdown of Year 4 may be delayed further.
Nacua is listed as questionable for the prime-time contest due to a hip/groin issue and did not practice Friday or Saturday. Head coach Sean McVay said the team is being cautious with the two-time Pro Bowler; although Nacua had a strong Thursday session, he didn’t feel completely right when trying to reach full speed, so the staff rested him the last couple of days. McVay also noted this soreness is unrelated to the psoas problem that kept Nacua out of parts of training camp.
In Week 1 Nacua recorded five catches for 74 yards and came inches from scoring on a third-and-goal late in the third quarter, only to be ruled short; the Rams failed to convert on the next play. Los Angeles will also be buoyed by the expected return of three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald after an extended absence, as they look to regroup against a Giants team that beat the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football last week.
Fan take: Nacua’s availability matters because his playmaking ability was central to the Rams’ offense last season, and any limitation could blunt L.A.’s passing attack in a key early-season matchup. How the team manages his recovery — balancing short-term gameday needs with long-term health — will signal how seriously clubs are treating soft-tissue injuries in star skill players going forward.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
