Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has entered the NFL MVP mix after another impressive performance in a 34-10 win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 9.
The Rams' bye week in Week 8 didn't slow down the 37-year-old quarterback one bit. After passing for five touchdowns in Week 7 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Stafford tacked on four more in Week 9, combining for nine total touchdowns over his last two games.
Although the Rams are still looking like a possible winner in a competitive NFC West, wide receiver Puka Nacua was dealt another unfortunate injury in his first game back since spraining his ankle in Week 6.
Sean McVay gives an update on Puka Nacua (ribs)
Puka Nacua exited the 34-10 win in Week 9 in the third quarter after coming down with an injury to his ribs.
"Puka's good. I think he's going to be good," Rams head coach Sean McVay said, according to RamsWire's Cameron DaSilva. "He got his ribs. He could've come back in the game but we kind of had command. Felt like it was the smart thing. He could've come back in but we erred on the side of caution."
It appears that Nacua isn't trending towards being available for Week 10 in a divisional matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. The third-year pass catcher is set to undergo further testing on the rib injury.
According to the Los Angeles Times' Gary Klein, Nacua is scheduled to have a scan for the rib injury, and Sean McVay feels "optimistic... in regard to where we're potentially heading."
Despite not finishing the game, Nacua continued his elite-level season in Week 9, catching seven of eight targets for 95 yards and one touchdown. He's now ranked third in all of the NFL in receiving yards (711), behind the Seattle Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba (948) and the Cincinnati Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase (831).
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