Puka Nacua — Week 9: 150 Yards and the Winner

Puka Nacua was the Rams' passing game against the Commanders: 19 targets, 46.3% of the team's total, 14 catches, 150 yards, a touchdown and +6.8 expected points added (EPA), what a play was worth given down, distance and field position. Nine of the catches went for first downs, two on fourth down, and he added 2 carries for 20 yards.

The drive that won it came tied 13-13. On third and 11 at the Washington 36 with 19 seconds left in the third, Matthew Stafford went deep right and Nacua caught it for 19 yards to the 17: +2.9 EPA and 10.9 points of win probability, the estimate of each side's chance to win. Five snaps later, early in the fourth, second and 7 at the 7, he caught a short throw to the left for the touchdown and a 20-13 lead, +2.1 EPA and 17.4 points of win probability, the largest swing of the game.

The cost came down 10-3 with 2:46 left in the half. Second and 19 at the Washington 41, he caught a short pass and K'Lavon Chaisson forced a fumble that Nick Cross returned to the Rams 40, -4.1 EPA and 12.2 points of win probability. After Myles Garrett's strip-sack gave the ball back, he caught 15 yards on fourth and 3 to the Washington 23, +2.9 EPA, and the drive ended in a field goal. In the third, Cross also intercepted a third-and-15 throw meant for him.

It was his biggest yardage game of the season, past 138 in Week 5, and his 14 catches trailed only that game's 17. Through Week 8, in six games, he had 56 catches on 74 targets for 565 yards, 3 touchdowns and +14.4 EPA, +0.19 a target; here it was +0.36, fumble and all.

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_Data via nflverse._