The Los Angeles Rams have now made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. The Rams finished the season with a 10-7 record and won the NFC West. The team will play host to the Minnesota Vikings from the NFC North. They are set to play against each other in the NFL Playoffs Wild Card round on Monday Night at State Farm Stadium in Arizona.
These two teams have two of the best wide receivers in the National Football League.
The Vikings key offensive weapon is receiver Justin Jefferson. For the Rams, it is receiver Puka Nacua. These two will be huge factors for their teams if they want to win this game.
Nacua has been veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford's top target this season. Nacua has been great during the season when his team has needed him the most. He has stepped up and answered the call.
Nacua and the Rams offense have found success in the screen game. Nacua is a physical receiver who is hard to bring down when he has the ball in his hands. Nacua is also a key piece at blocking in the run game. The Rams will need Nacua to produce on Monday Night to get the offense rolling and give his team the best chance to win.
"Brian Flores and the Minnesota Vikings will pay a ton of attention to Puka Nacua," said ESPN NFL Analyst Ryan Clark on NFL Live. "When you go back to that first game they played, they did not know that Puka Nacua would probably play as many snaps as he did. He ended up with over 100 yards. He found ways to get open and also catch the football and be physical after the catch. Sean McVay moved him around so much and we were reminded of how much of a priority he is with this offense. I expect that he will be recognized each and every play this week by Flores and his defense."
What makes the Rams offense dangerous is that you can double Nacua and try to take him out of the game. That opens the offense up for other player makers like Cooper Kupp, Tyler Higbee, and Kyren Williams. Nacua is going to have a huge impact on this game even if it does not show up on the stat sheet.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/rams/ as Rams' WR Puka Nacua Must be a Factor Against the Vikings.