INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Maybe we shouldn’t write off Cooper Kupp and the Los Angeles Rams.
Sometimes winning cures and provides clarity. The Rams could be experiencing just that after they defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 30-20, to notch their second straight win and improve to 3-4 on the season.
“I believe in this group. I believe in the coaches. I believe in the players. I saw resolve. I didn’t see a flinch,’ Rams coach Sean McVay said.
‘We still have a long way to go. We’ve won two games in five days, but it’s just two games, and we’ve done a good job of getting ourselves back to where we wanted to be. I’m excited about this journey ahead. We’ve learned a lot about people in these first seven weeks,’ McVay added. ‘We’ve had to go through a lot of different things relative to new faces playing that maybe we didn’t expect. And then it’s great to be able to get some of the cavalry back. I think we’ll start to see that over the next couple weeks, and we got to be able to hit the ground running.”
The Rams have nearly climbed out of an early 1-4 hole, and are getting healthier at the right time. Kupp and Puka Nacua returned from injuries Thursday night. Plus, more help could be on the way with offensive linemen Steve Avila, Jonah Jackson and defensive back John Johnson tracking to return.
All things Rams: Latest Los Angeles Rams news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.
Yet it’s Kupp and Nacua who can make the Rams a contender in the NFC. The two wide receivers combined for 12 catches, 157 yards and a touchdown on 17 targets in the victory.
“Those guys bring a ton of energy to our team and a ton of confidence. It’s not only just the offense. I know the defense feels that too when those guys are out there making plays,” Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “Those guys come out and compete. That’s what I’m proud of, man. Just coming out, showing up for our football team (and) competing, that’s big time.”
The NFC West is wide-open. The defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers are dealing with a multitude of injuries, the Arizona Cardinals are up-and-down, and the division-leading Seattle Seahawks are just one game ahead of Los Angeles in the loss column. The Rams and Seahawks go head-to-head next week in Seattle.
“I’m not thinking about that stuff,” Kupp said postgame when asked about his name being mentioned in trade scenarios. “It is what it is. There’s all that stuff out there. … All that stuff going on outside of the facility. But, you know, on a short week, every minute is spent preparing, trying to get ready to come out here and play.
‘It did give me the opportunity to focus and be where my feet are. Being able to prepare as best I can. And come out here and let it rip. All that stuff is what it is.’
Two plays Thursday defined why Kupp should remain in Los Angeles.
The first play happened in the second quarter when Stafford scrambled around, made an elusive move to evade two Vikings defenders and found Kupp in the back of the end zone for a touchdown.
The second play occurred with under four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, when Kupp hauled in a crucial 27-yard catch on third-and-9 that helped the Rams milk the clock.
Kupp finished with five catches, 51 yards and a touchdown. The eighth-year veteran now has 590 catches and 7,264 receiving yards in his career, numbers that are fourth all-time in Rams franchise history.
The 31-year-old wideout is just four receptions away from surpassing Henry Ellard for third all-time on the Rams’ career receptions list. He’ll undoubtedly be able to get there if he stays healthy — and remains on the Rams.
McVay gave a rousing vote of confidence for the latter.
“I think a lot of the things that were out there was speculation,” McVay said. “We’re an inside-out organization. I’m really glad to have Cooper Kupp back with us, and that’s what I expect to stay that way.”
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.
