Puka Nacua and 7 other Rams to face the 49ers for 1st time in 2024 on TNF

(1) - WR Puka Nacua

It's obvious by now that second-year wide receiver Puka Nacua is every bit HIM. In his first 25 NFL games, he has hauled in 159 of 235 passes for 2,194 yards., 105 first downs, and nine touchdowns. While he has only competed in eight games this season, he has been rapidly growing to the go-to guy in the Rams offense. And his performance in Week 14 against a tough Buffalo Bills secondary was inspiring and incredible.

Perhaps that is why he is mentioned among some of the best NFL wide receivers to ever play the game:

He has not faced the 49ers this season. His last time against their secondary, he played in the final game of the season in pursuit of the All-Time NFL Rookie Receiver records for receptions and yards. The 49ers, despite heading for the NFL Playoffs a week later, played all their starting defensive backs in an effort to prevent Nacua from breaking those records.

Despite drawing double (and perhaps triple) coverage in that game, Nacua hauled in four of six passes for 41 yards and one touchdown. Keep in mind that the quarterback for that game was backup QB Carson Wentz. For the season, Nacua caught 19 of 26 passes for 188 yards and one touchdown.

Nacua just caught 12 of 14 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills. So the 49ers defense had to notice that performance, and has to be working feverishly to negate Nacua in Week 15. But the thing is, knowing that the defense has to stop Puka Nacua, and actually stopping Puka Nacua, are two different matters altogether.

I love Nacua in this game. The Rams do not need to force the football to Nacua in this one. So the offense can involve several weapons before Nacua sees his first pas. But for the same reasons that Cooper Kupp is so effective against the 49ers defense, Nacua is equally loaded for bear.

Scouting report: The Rams will want to win this one in the worst way. Look for the offense to fall in familiar habits of dropping back to pass, pass, pass. But with Puka Nacua on the receiving end, the chains will keep moving. I like Nacua to catch eight of ten passes for 93 yards and a touchdown in this one.

The 49ers are familiar foes. But these eight players are new to the Niners in 2024. Even as rookies seeing the 49ers for the second time this season is an under-the-radar advantage, so too can the first time the 49ers face these eight players be an advantage for the LA Rams.

We'll soon see. As always, thanks for reading.

More Rams News and Analysis