Puka Nacua approaching NFL rookie record after sixth 100-yard receiving game

AROUND THE SHIELD — Ryan Fitzpatrick was smitten as the former NFL quarterback sat on the Prime Video set.

The crush? Los Angeles Rams rookie Puka Nacua.

"Puka's become the guy in this offense," the recently retired 17-year NFL veteran said on the Thursday Night Football set. "He's their Debo Samuel in terms of his physicality, and the way he can run and break those tackles. … I walk away from this even more impressed with the guy, in person."

"The Beard" has fallen in love with Nacua. So has much of the nation.

Nacua caught nine passes for 164 yards Thursday night, including a 2-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford, to help the Rams to a 30-22 win over the New Orleans Saints.

But after the game, Nacua wanted to defer credit to his team — led by Stafford, the reformed and revitalized former Lions starter who targeted Nacua 11 times in completing 24-of-34 passes for 328 yards and two touchdowns.

"It's a blessing to be out here with him," Nacua said. "In pressure moments and when we start the game, he lets us know it's going to be smooth sailing when No. 9 is in there. It's a blessing to have him."

The former BYU and Orem High receiver also ran twice for 16 yards, including a critical first down on a jet sweep in the fourth quarter to help the Rams (8-7) seal the win. In critical situations, Nacua has already become indispensable for Stafford on a team that also includes Cooper Kupp at wide receiver.

Even so, Nacua has quickly risen to stardom with the Rams, with Stafford calling his first season "one of the more impressive rookie campaigns I've ever seen from any player at any position."

"He's such a talented kid," Stafford told Fitzpatrick. "He's a great guy to be around. To be honest with you, it's one of the more impressive rookie campaigns I've been around from any player, any position. … He plays his ass off. It's great going for us."

Nacua's sixth 100-yard receiving game of his rookie year is the third-most in the NFL's Super Bowl era. Only Odell Beckham Jr. and Justin Jefferson have more, with seven.

Nacua, too, has two games remaining in his rookie year. That's also two games to break the NFL's rookie receiving record of 1,473 yards set by Bill Groman of the Houston Oilers in 1960.

His 1,327 yards currently ranks fifth all-time, or at least as far as records go back (1932), according to statmuse. The number breaks the record for most receiving yards by a BYU alumnus in a single season in the NFL, previously held by Todd Christensen's 1,247 for the Raiders in 1983.

He's already broken the Rams' franchise record for receiving yards, and topped the 1,000-yard mark after 12 weeks. His single-game league record 15 catches in Week 2 propelled him into the conversation for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Not bad for the son of Penina and the late Lionel Nacua, the fourth of five sons who "used to demolish this kid," big brother Samson Nacua told ESPN this week.

"Every chance we'd get, we were just probably lobbing the ball in the air. … So, literally every chance we got, he was either the tackling dummy or really just helping us out to train us. … It was drill after drill. Lining up Oklahoma drills, even in a backyard with each other, and just really going at it."

The fifth Nacua son — Tei, who had 930 yards and nine touchdowns en route to 5A all-state first-team honors by the Deseret News — also signed with BYU on the first day of the NCAA's early signing period Wednesday.

But with new Dodgers signing Shohei Ohtani on the sideline rocking a No. 17 jersey — Nacua's number, but with Ohtani's name on the back, as his been his custom with the Angels — Nacua stole the show and kept the Rams' playoff hopes alive.

The win pushed the Rams to second in the NFC West, surging past Minnesota for sixth in the NFC. NFL.com gives Los Angeles a 70% chance of making the playoffs with games remaining against the New York Giants (5-9) and San Francisco 49ers (11-3).

"It's just one day at a time," Nacua said. "We came back from the bye, and the message was one day at a time. … We're one of the best football teams; we've just got to execute on one play, one moment, one day at a time."

In other Locals in the NFL news, former Weber State receiver Rashid Shaheed returned to the Saints' starting lineup to catch five passes for 70 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown from Derek Carr.

Taysom Hill ran twice for 2 yards in limited snaps for New Orleans, and fellow BYU alum Jamaal Williams ran for 8 yards and took a screen pass for 5 yards. Former Utah linebacker Nephi Sewell played on defense and special teams for the Saints.

Former Weber State standout Jonah Williams started at defensive end for the Rams, but did not record a tackle.

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