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The Los Angeles Rams got great news heading into Week 10. Wide receiver Puka Nacua is officially cleared to play this Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. Nacua had left last week’s game with a chest injury, but he was taken off the injury report after practicing fully on Thursday and Friday.
Puka Nacua was hurt in the third quarter of last week’s game when he was tackled by Saints linebacker Demario Davis during a short run. He went to the locker room for medical checks but returned in the fourth quarter. Before the injury, he was having a strong game, finishing with seven catches for 95 yards and a touchdown.
On Wednesday, the Rams limited him in practice to be safe. But once he showed no issues, the team cleared him to return to full participation. That cleared the way for him to play this weekend with no restrictions.
Puka Nacua has been a key part of the Rams’ offense this season. In seven games, he leads the team with 61 receptions on 73 targets for 711 yards and three touchdowns. His connection with quarterback Matthew Stafford has remained one of the Rams’ biggest strengths.
The Rams now turn their focus to a major rivalry matchup with the 49ers. Los Angeles still remembers their tough 26–23 overtime loss to San Francisco back in Week 4. In that game, the Rams were stopped at the goal line in the final moments, and the result has stayed in the players’ minds.
This time, the Rams come in with momentum. Their defense has stepped up in recent weeks, shutting down three straight opponents. Meanwhile, Matthew Stafford is playing at a very high level. At 37 years old, he has already thrown for 2,147 yards and a league-leading 21 touchdowns this season. He has also completed 67.2% of his passes, showing he is still one of the league’s top quarterbacks.
With Puka Nacua healthy and Stafford in strong form, the Rams’ offense has a good chance to compete in what should be one of the biggest NFC West games of the week. The team is determined to fix what went wrong in their first meeting and make a statement on the road.
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