Tag: Cooper Kupp

Brian Baldinger: Rams are ‘ready for a 2nd-half surge’ with Puka Nacua back

NFL analyst Brian Baldinger thinks the Rams are a dangerous team now that they’re getting healthy

Thursday night was the first time Puka Nacua played a full game since the Rams’ playoff loss to the Lions in January, missing the last five-plus games with a knee injury suffered in Week 1. His presence on the field completely changed the look of the Rams’ offense, both in the passing game and the run game because of how talented he is as a receiver and blocker.

NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger focused on Nacua and the Rams for his “Baldy’s Breakdowns” series on Friday morning and he believes Los Angeles could be a dangerous team in the NFC now that they’re getting healthy. He highlighted Nacua’s best plays from the Rams’ 30-20 win over the Vikings, sharing what makes him such a good receiver in Sean McVay’s offense.

“Boy, it was good for the Rams to get Puka back,” he said. “Combined with that man Kyren Willams, all of a sudden – and Cooper Kupp – this offense looks awfully dangerous. Ready for a second-half surge, I believe, from the Rams.”

In another video, Baldinger gave the Rams’ offensive line plenty of credit for blanking the Vikings in the sack department after Minnesota racked up 24 sacks in its first six games.

He singled out Justin Dedich and Beaux Limmer, two rookies who are starting up front, for their play on the interior, too.

“Ryan Wendell, the offensive line coach, is doing a great job. Here it is, game-winning drive, hat on a hat, come off the ball together. Here comes Ivan Pace with the blitz. Pick em all up. This is good,” he said.

At 3-4, the Rams are nowhere near one of the best teams in the league record-wise, but they’ve won two games in five days and could have a chance at tying the division lead if the Seahawks lose this weekend and the Rams can beat them in Week 9.

They’re far from done in the NFC West and now that they’re getting healthy, the offense looks explosive again.

Pittsburgh seemingly misses out on another All-Pro WR trade

Four potential WR trade targets have come and gone for the Pittsburgh Steelers, as the Rams’ HC seemingly ended the Cooper Kupp trade hype.

From excitment to disappointment, what a difference a day makes. Head Coach Sean McVay crushed the hearts of Pittsburgh Steelers fans in the post-game press conference following Thursday Night Football’s matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams.

The most recent WR trade target on the Steelers’ radar was none other than 31-year-old All-Pro Cooper Kupp of the Rams. The superstar wideout had a solid outing on Thursday Night Football, and McVay took notice. While speaking to the media, the Rams head coach alluded to the trade rumors and practically dashed any hopes of the ‘Steel City’ acquiring the talented receiver.

 

Are fans placing too much pressure on the shoulders of General Manager Omar Khan and the Steelers’ front office?  Possibly, however, Khan should never have traded away the number one receiver in Pittsburgh, Diontae Johnson, without a proper backup plan in place.

Steelers’ RB Cordarrelle Patterson may end up being the last line of defense for recruiting a star player to Pittsburgh, and WR Mike Williams of the New York Jets could fit that bill.

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Rams snap counts: McVay shakes things up with Kupp and Nacua back

Sean McVay made major changes on offense with Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua back, causing Tutu Atwell’s role to almost disappear

The Los Angeles Rams had been getting by without Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua at wide receiver for four straight games but their returns on Thursday night made a world of difference for Matthew Stafford and the entire offense.

Their returns also had a huge impact on the wide receiver rotation and the personnel groupings that Sean McVay utilized. Though Kupp and Nacua didn’t play close to their normal snap share, they were still the two leading receivers in yardage and were the primary reasons Los Angeles pulled off the upset.

Of course, with the team’s top two receivers back, someone had to take a backseat. That player was clearly Tutu Atwell, who played just nine snaps in the Rams’ win.

Take a look at the full snap counts on offense and defense below, which shows the big changes Sean McVay made with his two best receivers back.

Offense

Demarcus Robinson may have only been targeted two times, but he played the most snaps of any receiver with 61. Kupp played 42 snaps and Nacua played 41, rotating in and out of the lineup frequently. For two players who missed four and five games, they were still working back into game shape, particularly in Nacua’s case after logging only two limited practices since Week 1.

Tyler Johnson was the fourth receiver with 27 snaps played, while Atwell’s role just about evaporated. He played only 12% of the snaps after playing at least 74% in each of the previous four games. Xavier Smith played four snaps but didn’t touch the ball. With 10 days until their next game, Kupp and Nacua should be closer to full strength in Week 9, which could further limit the snaps available for other wide receivers.

The tight end rotation was much closer than it had been all season. All three guys contributed with meaningful snaps for the first time this year. Colby Parkinson remains the top option with a 64% snap share, but that matched his season-low (Week 7). Hunter Long played 42% of the snaps and Davis Allen played 39%, which were the second-most and most for those two tight ends this season, respectively. The Rams used a lot of 12 personnel and deployed two tight ends together more than they have in most games this season, which provided a spark in the run game.

At running back Kyren Williams played his usual number of snaps, with Blake Corum playing the other 11% – also his typical usage rate. Corum is firmly entrenched in the RB2 role but he’s not a real threat to Williams’ workload right now.

Defense

Quentin Lake and Darious Williams played every snap on defense for the second straight week. Lake wore the green dot as the defensive signal caller, taking over that role with Troy Reeder landing on IR. Kam Curl likely would’ve played the entire game again if not for a knee injury that knocked him out for 13 snaps.

The biggest change in the secondary came at the No. 2 cornerback spot where Cobie Durant replaced Ahkello Witherspoon. Durant played all but one snap, while Witherspoon was dropped to fourth on the depth chart; he played only nine snaps compared to Josh Wallace’s 20.

Reeder missed this game and will sit out at least the next three, too, as he recovers from a hamstring injury, which led to a bigger role for Christian Rozeboom. He played 94% of the snaps, with rookie Omar Speights playing a career-high 22 snaps on defense as the No. 2 linebacker. Chris Shula mixed Jake Hummel in for 10 plays as the third linebacker.

Byron Young has typically played more snaps than Jared Verse but it was the rookie who played 84% compared to 78% for Young – a minimal difference, but something to watch. Michael Hoecht played 62% of the snaps as the third edge rusher, as well, so his role is still relevant. No other outside linebackers got on the field.

Along the defensive line, Kobie Turner played 82% of the snaps, the only one who played at least 60% of the game. For the fourth straight game, Braden Fiske played fewer than 60% of the snaps, so his role has been somewhat limited. Bobby Brown III played half the game, Tyler Davis played nine snaps and Neville Gallimore was limited to eight plays due to a lingering shoulder injury that caused him to leave the game.

Sean McVay put the Cooper Kupp trade rumors to bed (for now) after Rams win

Guess this means he’s staying?

Cooper Kupp made a triumphant return to the field with the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night with a 51-yard game that included a touchdown, all while shaking off all the trade rumors involving his name.

That should theoretically put those rumors to rest, right, despite the fact that lots of contenders could use him? The team is now 3-4, which isn’t too shabby at this point in the season with lots of football left to be played.

Head coach Sean McVay emphatically put those rumors to rest after the win: “I’m really glad to have Cooper Kupp back with us and I expect it to stay that way.”

Is that a message to management? Hmm.

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Check out the best photos from the Rams’ win over the Vikings in Week 8

It was a terrific night for the Rams at SoFi Stadium. See some of the best photos from their Week 8 win over the Vikings.

Not many people were giving the Los Angeles Rams a chance to beat the Minnesota Vikings in Week 8, given the opposite directions these two teams had been heading in all year. However, with Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp back, the Rams kept their postseason hopes alive with a 30-20 win.

It snapped a 10-game stretch of scoring fewer than 30 points, with the offense gaining 386 total yards and the defense holding Minnesota to just 276 yards. It wasn’t perfect, but the Rams put together their best performance of the season in front of the home crowd at SoFi Stadium.

At 3-4, they’re very much alive in the NFC West, especially with the Seahawks up next on the Rams’ schedule. They’ll be well-rested, too, thanks to the mini-bye following a Thursday game.

Here are some of the best photos from the Rams’ win over the Vikings.

The Rams are a completely different team with Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp healthy

If Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp stay healthy, the Rams can make some noise in the NFC

Andrew Whitworth said it best on Amazon’s postgame show after the Los Angeles Rams’ win over the Minnesota Vikings: They might go from trading players to trading for players now that Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp are healthy.

In one night, the entire outlook of the Rams’ 2024 season changed. It’s not just that they won, but rather the way they won and the quality of the team they beat. Very simply, the Rams don’t beat the 5-1 Vikings without Kupp and Nacua on the field.

Despite Demarcus Robinson scoring two touchdowns, and Kyren Williams putting up another 100-plus yards from scrimmage, the Rams probably lose to the Vikings if not for the returns of Kupp and Nacua.

Those two star receivers completely change Los Angeles’ offense with the things they can do. Nacua, in particular, was a game-changer for the Rams with his receiving skills, as well as his blocking ability. Despite only getting in one practice all week – and as a limited participant, no less – Nacua looked like the player we saw dominate week in and week out as a rookie last season.

He was targeted nine times in the win, catching seven of those passes for 106 yards. He didn’t score, but he was the primary source of offense and helped the Rams get to the red zone three times, scoring touchdowns on all three trips.

Whether it was turning short screen passes into big gains, hauling in a high throw with a leaping grab along the sideline or making defenders miss on dig routes, Nacua made play after play to move the chains. Of the seven passes he caught, six of them picked up a first down.

Here’s how long each of his catches were:

  • 13 yards
  • 21 yards
  • 16 yards
  • 14 yards
  • 4 yards
  • 19 yards
  • 19 yards

According to Pro Football Focus, he was targeted on 40.9% of his routes in the game, which is a career-high for the stud receiver. That means when he was one of the five eligibles on a play, Stafford looked his way almost half the time.

If not for his 19-yard catch on second-and-15 with 4:04 left in the third quarter, the Rams may not win this game because two plays later, Demarcus Robinson was in the end zone with a 25-yard score to put the Rams up 21-17.

He completely opens up the playbook for Sean McVay, making all the difference in the world on offense.

Kupp’s impact may not have been as large, but the Rams might not win this game without him, either. He caught five of his eight targets for 51 yards and a touchdown. The play he made when he scored was one that perfectly demonstrates his value.

Stafford was forced to leave the pocket when two defenders were bearing down on him, escaping to his left where Kupp was running his route. Kupp recognized his quarterback was in trouble, lost his defender in coverage and came wide open for a touchdown.

That chemistry isn’t something Stafford has with any other receiver, not even Nacua.

Later on in the game, Kupp came up with his second big play of the night. On third-and-9 with the Rams facing the possibility of giving the Vikings the ball back with more than 3 minutes to play, Kupp broke free down the left sideline and caught a 27-yard bomb from Stafford for a first down. That kept the drive alive and forced the Vikings to burn their last timeout. It didn’t translate to points, but it drew another minute-plus off the clock.

Could another receiver have made that play? Maybe. But the trust Stafford has in Kupp and the attention Nacua drew on the fake screen is what made that happen. No disrespect to Tutu Atwell, Robinson or Tyler Johnson, but Kupp and Nacua are just different.

Looking ahead, the outlook of the Rams’ season is entirely different with a healthy Nacua and Kupp. And based on Sean McVay’s comments after the game, it sure doesn’t sound like Kupp will be traded in the next week and a half.

There’s a chance the Rams can grab a piece of first place in the NFC West next weekend if they can beat the Seahawks on the road in Week 9. If they can get to 4-4, anything is possible in a division that’s completely up for grabs at this point in the season.

LeBron James gave 3 Rams stars a shoutout during their win over the Vikings

LeBron James tuned in for the Rams’ win over the Vikings on Thursday night and gave 3 stars a shoutout on social media

When playing in prime time, the lights shine a little bit brighter and the audience is a little bit bigger. The Los Angeles Rams had everyone watching their upset win over the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night, including none other than LeBron James – someone who’s been a big supporter of the Rams over the years now that he’s in L.A.

During the Rams’ win against the Vikings, James posted a couple of times on social media and gave a trio of players a shoutout on X (formerly Twitter). He was happy to see Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp back on the field, first and foremost, which completely changed the Rams offense for the better.

After Matthew Stafford’s touchdown pass to Demarcus Robinson deep down the right sideline, LeBron recognized the greatness of the Rams quarterback by calling him “so damn good.”

Can confirm, Mr. James. Stafford is quite good.

Nacua is a noted LeBron supporter so he’ll appreciate the shoutout from the king himself.

Sean McVay gave a definitive answer to the Cooper Kupp trade rumors

Sean McVay left no doubt about whether the Rams will trade Cooper Kupp, taking a firm stance on the rumors that have circulated

Rumors swirled this week about the possibility of the Los Angeles Rams trading Cooper Kupp. Those rumors popped up after Sean McVay addressed the media on Monday, and he didn’t speak to reporters again until after the Rams’ win over the Vikings on Thursday night.

In his first press conference since the world started talking about Kupp being on the trade block, McVay left no doubt about what the future holds for the Rams’ Super Bowl MVP.

He took a firm stance on the rumors, swiftly shooting them down and calling out the credibility of those reports. He said some of the reports floating around are “just not true” and though he acknowledged teams have called about Kupp, the Rams seemingly haven’t entertained them.

“Teams reached out. Some of the things I’ve seen out there, they’re just not true,” McVay said. “We’ve addressed it with those individuals. Teams have called about him and we let him know what the dialogue was there and there’s a lot of stuff out there where there’s not a lot of accountability to the reports and that’s unfortunate.”

McVay was asked a follow-up question about whether Thursday’s win over the Vikings makes it more likely that the Rams will keep Kupp with the trade deadline looming. It’s fairly obvious the Rams have no plans to move Kupp before the No. 5 deadline.

“I think a lot of the things that were out there were speculation,” he said. “We’re an inside-out organization. I’m really glad to have Cooper Kupp back with us and that’s what I expect to stay that way.”

In his first game since Week 2, Kupp caught five passes for 51 yards and a touchdown, none bigger than a 27-yarder on the Rams’ final offensive possession to keep the drive alive and move the chains on third down. He didn’t play his usual number of snaps, but Kupp being on the field in any capacity was beneficial for the entire offense.

McVay is thrilled to have him back and it doesn’t sound like he’s going anywhere anytime soon.

The Rams’ season-saving Week 8 win should pause Cooper Kupp trade talk

Don’t count the Rams out just yet.

In the words of Lee Corso about writing off the Los Angeles Rams for 2024, not so fast, my friend.

The Rams earned a critical home victory over the red-hot Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night, getting to 3-4 on the season.

With wide receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp back in the lineup, the Rams looked like a completely different football team.

The Rams scored a total of 30 points in the victory, and the team’s defense held quarterback Sam Darnold and company to just 20 points, a season-low for Minnesota.

With plenty of curiosity about where Kupp might land ahead of the 2024 NFL trade deadline, the answer all along might be he stays with the Rams.

The NFC West is absolutely for the taking right now, with the 3-4 Rams now holding the same record as the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers. The division-leading Seattle Seahawks are only 4-3.

A 2-5 mark could have sent Los Angeles into selling mode. However, being 3-4 in this division means your playoff hopes are still alive and well.

Kupp is still a critical member of the Los Angeles offense, even if Nacua has overtaken him as the team’s most productive receiver. There is still a lot of football left, and the Rams are absolutely still playing for the postseason.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford put on a clinic against the Vikings, and team coach Sean McVay proved why you just can’t ever count his team out.

The Vikings losing two straight games after starting the year 5-0 shows how quickly the NFL season can change. The Rams weren’t in a great spot before this week, but getting their two best receivers back and beating Minnesota has totally changed the course of where their season can go.

If you were hoping Kupp might wind up with your favorite team, you might want to take a pause on that. The Rams are going to need him.

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Watch: Matthew Stafford dodges two tacklers, hits Cooper Kupp for spectacular TD

Matthew Stafford made two defenders miss and turned a would-be sack into Cooper Kupp’s 2nd touchdown of the year

It sure is good to see Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp back on the field together again. The two are playing their first game together since Week 2 and they picked up right where they left off.

On the Rams’ second drive of the game, Stafford and Kupp connected for their second touchdown of the season – and it was prettier than a lot of the ones they’ve scored during their three-plus years together.

Stafford dodged two Vikings defenders and avoided a would-be sack, ducking under one tackle to break free in the backfield. He then looked up and saw a wide-open Kupp in the back of the end zone for a touchdown, tying the game at 14.

This angle really shows the traffic Stafford fought through, looking like a spry 23-year-old in the backfield and not a 36-year-old veteran.