Rams’ Puka Nacua breaks 63-year-old rookie mark as team tops 49ers

The Los Angeles Rams selected wide receiver Puka Nacua in the fifth round of the draft in the spring and he joined the team that already had an Offensive Player of the Year in Cooper Kupp and veterans like Demarcus Robinson, Ben Skowronek, Tutu Atwell and Tyler Higbee as options for Matthew Stafford.

Nacua dominated in his first two games with the Rams, catching 25 passes for 166 yards and emerged as a potential Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate. Though he didn’t have 10 or more receptions outside of the first two games of the year, he still managed to set a rookie record.

With four catches for 47 yards and a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Nacua broke the record for most receptions and receiving yards by a rookie in NFL history. He finished the year with 106 catches for 1,492 yards and six touchdowns.

He broke Bill Groman’s record of 1,473 receiving yards in the 1960 season. It was only a 14-game season that year. He also broke Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle’s receptions record. The former Alabama standout had 104 catches in his first season with the Dolphins in 2021.

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The Rams won the game, 21-20, as both playoff teams sat their starters for the most part. Los Angeles went with Carson Wentz at quarterback and San Francisco started Sam Darnold.

Wentz was 17 for 24 with 163 passing yards and two touchdown passes. He also had a rushing touchdown. Tyler Johnson had the other touchdown catch for the Rams.

Darnold was 16 for 26 with 189 yards and a touchdown pass to Ronnie Bell.

The 49ers will have home–field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. The Rams get in with a wild-card berth and will face the Detroit Lions.

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