Puka Nacua Likely Headed to IR With Knee Sprains

Puka Nacua was trying to run out the clock. On third-and-11 with Sunday’s 20-13 win over Washington nearly wrapped up, he took a jet sweep toward the right sideline and Jeremy Reaves hit him low around the right knee. On Monday the MRI came back with a sprained MCL and PCL plus turf toe, and Sean McVay said his star receiver is likely going on injured reserve for “at least a month.”

That is a gut punch for a team that just found its footing. The Rams are 5-4 after three straight wins and sit third in the NFC West. If Nacua goes on IR, he misses Arizona, Green Bay, Kansas City and San Francisco, with the Week 11 bye mixed in, and the earliest he could return is Week 15 against Dallas.

He Was the Whole Passing Game

Sunday showed exactly what the Rams are losing. Nacua caught 14 of his 19 targets for 150 yards and a touchdown, and he ran twice for 20 more yards, the second of those carries being the one that hurt him. For the season he has 70 catches for 715 yards and four touchdowns in seven games.

The target share is the scary part. Nacua drew 48 percent of the targets against the Chargers in Week 8 and 44.2 percent against Washington. Over those two games Matthew Stafford threw for 385 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, and almost everything that worked went through one player.

McVay sounded like a coach who has had this conversation too often this season. “I’m bummed for Puka,” he said. “It’s challenging, but it’s an opportunity for us to adjust and adapt.”

Who Is Left

Not much. Davante Adams is already on injured reserve with a ruptured hamstring, and tight end Terrance Ferguson hurt his hamstring in practice Friday right as he was set to come off IR. That leaves Tutu Atwell, Konata Mumpfield, Jordan Whittington and CJ Daniels at receiver, with Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen at tight end.

The timing at least gives Les Snead a window. The trade deadline is Tuesday at 1 p.m. PT, and a team with this little at receiver now has every reason to make a call. Until a deal is announced, Stafford goes to Arizona on Sunday without either of his top two receivers.

Smacktok pick lean: Lean lower on Matthew Stafford passing yards at Arizona. He threw for 385 yards across the last two games with Nacua soaking up nearly half the targets, and the replacements have not been a big part of the offense. If the Rams trade for a receiver before Tuesday’s deadline, wait to see whether he is active Sunday before making the play.