Puka Nacua hurt his knee on the final offensive snap of the Los Angeles Rams 20-13 win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday, and he will have an MRI on Monday to find out how bad the damage is. Puka Nacua took the ball on a handoff on third and 11, picked up five yards, and took a hard hit from Commanders safety Jeremy Reaves. He stayed down for a moment, then walked off the field on his own, and the Rams said they do not believe he tore his ACL.
The injury came at the end of a huge day for Puka Nacua, who caught 14 of his 19 targets for 150 yards and a touchdown. The 14 catches tied the franchise record for games with 10 or more catches, and the 150 yards were a season high. He also ran twice for 20 yards, and it was his third game in a row with a touchdown. The win moved the Rams to 5-4, their third win in a row, but the injury took the edge off the result.
Puka Nacua will have the MRI on Monday, according to reports from ESPN reporter Adam Schefter and NFL Network reporter Mike Garafolo. The Rams have not put a timeline on his return, and the scan will decide what kind of damage they are dealing with. For now, the early word is that the ACL looks intact, and that is the best news Los Angeles could have asked for on Sunday night.
Puka Nacua and the play that hurt him
The play came with less than two minutes left, on the last snap the Rams offence ran at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland. Puka Nacua took the handoff and ran into traffic, and Reaves hit him low as he went to ground. Fans and coaches held their breath as he stayed down, and the sight of him walking off under his own power was the first sign that the injury might not be as bad as it looked.
Nacua had already been to the blue medical tent earlier in the game, in the third quarter, for a concussion check. He was cleared and came back, and he was not asked about the knee after the game. The Rams have said nothing in public beyond the reports from Schefter and Garafolo, and Monday’s scan is the next real update.
Former NFL team doctor David Chao, who looked at video of the play, said he agreed that an ACL tear looked unlikely. He said his worry was a possible aggravation of the PCL injury in the same knee that kept Nacua out for five games in 2024. That is a view based on video, not a diagnosis, and the MRI will settle it.
Puka Nacua and what the Rams lose if he is out
The Rams can ill afford to lose Puka Nacua. Davante Adams is already on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, after surgery on his left hamstring, and he will be out for a few more weeks. Nacua has been the centre of the game plan all season, and he missed Weeks 2 and 3 with a hip injury earlier this year.
Los Angeles has a bye in Week 11, which gives Nacua extra time if the damage turns out to be minor. The Rams visit the Cardinals after the bye, and the stretch run will need their best receiver fit. Nacua has been on the injury report several times this season, and the team has managed his workload with care.
How the Rams won without losing Nacua sooner
The Rams won the game 20-13, and they outscored Washington 14-3 after half time. The defence kept the Commanders out of the end zone over the final two quarters, and the offence did enough to close the game out. Matthew Stafford threw to Nacua 19 times, and the pair linked up for the go ahead touchdown.
Puka Nacua finished with 14 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown, and the Rams improved to 5-4. The MRI on Monday will tell them whether their best receiver will be with them for the run in.