The Los Angeles Rams got another big game out of star wide receiver Puka Nacua. It was not enough to defeat the Buffalo Bills on “Monday Night Football” in Week 5.
Nacua made it clear that the Rams’ efforts were not enough, too.
“Self-inflicted wounds in times of opportunity, where we had a snatch momentum. Putting us behind the sticks and not being able to kind of recover from that. And then, just looking at my own game, the opportunity to get the ball close to line of scrimmage and in space, and not being able to make plays. I know I can be in better positions,” Nacua told reporters postgame.
“Me and Matthew [Stafford] missed on a couple of ones where, yeah, timing’s gotta be better on my end. He’s been the balls in the spot, gotta go up there and make a play. We had that one in the end zone [before halftime] which hurts, but a lot of opportunities that we didn’t execute on.”
Stafford also noted the Rams continuously got in their own way during the contest in his postgame press conference.
Asked about Rams head coach Sean McVay saying he was “sick” over how the game ended for them, effectively with a blocked field goal attempt from Harrison Mevis, Nacua remained candid.
“I think there’s an opportunity, especially for the way we felt like we were executing in the two-minute, getting ready to finish the game–and then, the way that drive felt like it was going after we got the turnover from the defense–that there was an opportunity for us to kind of snatch the momentum, and especially get a chance to go for it on forth down. Obviously, looking at hindsight,” Nacus said.
“We go out there, and we give the opportunity for our special teams to kind of go out there and get a field goal. We gotta be able to execute. And if that’s not what we wanted to do, we gotta find a way to convert on the critical downs.”
In the two games since returning from a two-game absence due to a groin injury, Nacua has 26 receptions for 263 yards and 1 touchdown.
The Rams are 1-1 despite that strong production from Nacua.
Puka Nacua Does Not Mince Words About Rams
Nacua leaned into the notion that the Rams did not bring the level of intensity that they are accustomed to in the loss to the Bills. He said that mindset comes from Stafford and their offensive line. However, they have not been able to build off it.
Asked how the Rams dig themselves out of their 2-3 hole to start this season, Nacua again spoke candidly.
“It’s Monday night. We gotta be able to physically and mentally reset by tomorrow and get ready to play back here at home,” Nacua said. “We got the Arizona Cardinals, a familiar face coming in with Mike LaFleur. But it’s going to be an opportunity for us to respond and really look ourselves in the mirror and say, ‘What is our identity going to be?’”
Nacua added that the Rams “can’t let the Buffalo Bills beat us twice.”
LaFleur was the Rams’ offensive coordinator from 2023, Nacua’s rookie season, through the 2025 campaign. His Cardinals will enter this contest with a 1-4 record. Their offense ranks 23rd in scoring. The Cardinals defense checks in 32nd in the same category.
Still, LaFleur’s institutional knowledge of Nacua and the Rams’ offense is an advantage few of LA’s opponents can boast.
Puka Nacua Calls Out Los Angeles Rams After Monster Game Goes to Waste