LOS ANGELES (AP) — Puka Nacua has been the focal point of the Rams’ offense for four seasons, yet his importance has been magnified in the two games since fellow wide receiver Davante Adams went on injured reserve because of a serious hamstring injury.
For offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, Nacua’s heavy usage as a pass catcher, runner and blocker is a feature, not a bug.
“I mean, Puka is just one of those guys that he finds a way to make plays
over and over again," Scheelhaase said. “And whether that’s down the field, whether that’s underneath, whether it’s getting yards after the catch, whether that’s putting the ball in his hands in the run game, he’s found a way to make plays since he has been in the NFL, certainly before that.”
Nacua has been targeted 22 times in wins over the Raiders and Chargers, making 19 receptions for 148 yards and two touchdowns. The numbers alone aren’t particularly telling — Nacua had 17 receptions on 24 targets in the overtime loss to the Bills on Oct. 12 — but the disparity between the BYU product and the rest of the wide receiver corps is what stands out over that span.
Tutu Atwell has two catches, Konata Mumpfield has one, and Jordan Whittington does not have any since Adams pulled up lame at the end of a surprising 18-16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 18.
The minimal usage of Atwell, Mumpfield, and Whittington is in part a reflection of the Rams’ transition to multiple tight-end sets over the past two seasons, but it is also an indication of how well suited Nacua is to fulfill every role a receiver is asked to man in coach Sean McVay’s offensive system.
Nacua is able to attack the secondary at every level in the passing game. He is frequently used on screens at or behind the line of scrimmage, allowing him to shed tackles and rack up yards after the catch. Nacua can sit down in vacated areas on intermediate routes and shows the toughness to make receptions over the middle of the field. He has enough elusiveness to create big plays.
Many of those same traits see Nacua handling the ball as a rusher, particularly at the goal line or in crucial short-yardage situations.
And as a run blocker, Nacua is typically highlighted at the point of attack, usually motioning across the formation to serve as a key impediment to prevent opposing defenses from getting a hand on tailbacks Kyren Williams and Blake Corum at the line of scrimmage.
“Even not having Puka for a couple of those games, it’s like, yeah, man, you miss seeing him catch the football, but there’s a lot of those insert blocks in the run game, the ability to get a jet sweep handoff,” Scheelhaase said.
When it comes to little things that aren’t measured in receptions, yards receiving or touchdowns, Scheelhaase said Atwell, Mumpfield and Whittington are all helping pick up the slack.
“There’s a number of different ways to impact the game, and certainly catching the ball is one of those things that receivers enjoy and appreciate doing. But I think what’s cool about this building is there’s a lot of appreciation for all the different ways that you can impact,” Scheelhaase said.
As to whether the extreme usage of Nacua is sustainable, especially with him having already dealt with a core muscle injury in training camp before missing two games because of a hip and groin injury this season, Scheelhaase acknowledged there is an equilibrium that must be taken into account.
“There’s a balance that happens not only on a Sunday but even throughout the course of a practice week” Scheelhaase said. “And I think the encouragement that we have is we have guys that we feel that we can put trust in to be able to supplement him in the right ways.”
Coincidentally, it might be the return of second-year tight end Terrance Ferguson from an ankle injury that gives the Rams an avenue to lessen the load on Nacua, albeit by leaning even more on their tight-end packages.
Ferguson returned to practice this week and is eligible to come off injured reserve. He was limited for the second straight day on Thursday, but whenever he returns to game action, the 6-foot-5, 252 pound Ferguson should offer an added element of explosiveness to the passing game.
“Obviously, he’s got some stuff that he’s working through, but you can see in his movement pattern when he’s being able to put his foot in the ground, he feels confident,” Nacua said.
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