The Los Angeles Rams got a massive boost with star wideouts Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp’s return against the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night, giving star quarterback Matthew Stafford another weapon to work with.
And rookie running back Blake Corum believes that with the offense back to full strength, Los Angeles can parlay it into more success as the season progresses.
Nacua’s impact was quickly felt during the Rams’ 30-20 win over the Vikings at SoFi Stadium, with the 36-year-old signal caller looking for his star receiver early and often. Not to be outdone, Stafford also targeted Cooper Kupp, the former Super Bowl MVP and Nacua’s star teammate, though the two had more difficulty connecting throughout the night.
Overall, the star duo finished the night with 157 receiving yards combined – with Nacua finishing the game with seven catches for 106 yards – on 12 receptions and one touchdown. Still, the point stands: Los Angeles is dangerous if Stafford, Kupp and Nacua are firing on all cylinders.
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And Corum understands that. Speaking exclusively to Mirror US Sports after the Rams’ impressive win over Sam Darnold and the Vikings, the former Michigan star explained what it meant to have Nacua back alongside Kupp. “Yeah, we were rolling today,” Corum explained. “I think it starts with practice. It was great having those guys back. They definitely bring a lot of energy, so it felt really good and it looked good.”
It was clear Corum and the Rams felt the extra energy Nacua’s return and Kupp’s play gave them. The tandem’s return allowed Stafford to target other players, with Corum hauling in one catch for nine yards and Demarcus Robinson scoring two touchdowns through the air, in addition to his 35 yards on two receptions.
Stafford even targeted star running back Kyren Williams, with the 24-year-old recording 19 yards for five catches, including one touchdown. With so many offensive options and the energy of having multiple players involved spreading across the team, the 23-year-old added that the infectious energy was something the team strived to have.
Blake Corum understood what it meant to have both Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp back on the field at the same time (
Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
“We preach it all the time,” Corum said of the energy Nacua and Kupp brought to the team, which could lead to more wins. “Coach [Sean] McVay, our organization, we preach energy. We talked about it strictly starting with one [win], now we’re at two. So just keep building on those – and we’ll be successful.”
The former Michigan star also noted how the energy brought on by the offense seemingly transferred to the defense as well. In what would be the most consequential play in the fourth quarter, the Rams defense was able to sack Darnold and force a safety as the Vikings were looking for one final push.
It appeared Darnold was the victim of a face mask, but the referees did not see any infraction, thus letting the play resume. Regardless of the outcome, Corum knew just how important it was to have the momentum carry throughout the team.
Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp returned to action against the Minnesota Vikings (
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Corum surmised: “I think once one phase does it, especially today, one phase made a big play, the next one did, and it just kinda kept going. Everyone kept feeding off each other, so energy was a big part.”
That said, it remains to be seen how Los Angeles will tackle the upcoming trade deadline as before the win, many saw the Rams as sellers. Now that Kupp and Nacua are back in the fold together, the organization could instead make a push for the playoffs, especially with the NFC West as wide open as it is.
As it stands, the San Francisco 49ers – widely believed to be one of the best teams in the conference this season – have struggled with injuries. The Seattle Seahawks are currently atop, the west, though the division is ripe for the taking if everything falls into place for the Rams.
With this in mind, Corum reiterated that he and the Rams can only control what they can control amid trade speculation surrounding the team and its star players. Still, the rookie believes that if Los Angeles just ignores all the noise, they could be a force in the NFC.
“I think it’s keeping your head down,” the running back proclaimed. “Keep your head down, keep working, treat it a day at a time, a week at a time, game at a time. Let everything else fall into place.
“As long as we stick together and keep our heads down and feed off each other’s energy and keep grinding, we’re going to have a successful season.”
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