INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Rams scored a season-high 44 points in their victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, the offensive performance the team had been searching for much of the season.
The team was led by wide receiver Puka Nacua, who had 12 catches for 162 yards and a touchdown and five carries for 16 yards and a touchdown in the 44-42 win. Rams coach Sean McVay said the second-year receiver was "such an igniter today," saying that's "one of the biggest compliments" he could give somebody.
"He was awesome," McVay said. "And he's so physically and mentally tough. Love him. He's such a ... igniter is one of the biggest compliments I can give somebody. You elevate everybody around you, you bring an energy to this football team. And he certainly did that today."
With his performance Sunday against the Bills, Nacua became the first player in Rams history with 150 receiving yards, a receiving touchdown and a rushing touchdown in a game, according to ESPN Research.
He's just the fourth player in the past 30 seasons to reach those marks for any team in a game, joining Dallas Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb in 2023, Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles in 2013 and Detroit Lions running back Jahvid Best in 2010.
Told of McVay's postgame comments, Nacua said, "Shoot, thanks Coach McVay."
"I feel like I've got to give all the credit to the guys around me," Nacua said. "It continues to be an all-11 effort in everything that we do in this offense, and I know that there's still parts in my game that I can improve on."
That offense looked the best it has all season, scoring 40 or more points in a game started by Matthew Stafford for the first time since he was traded to Los Angeles (59 starts), according to ESPN Research. Stafford completed 23 of 30 passes for a season-high 320 yards.
Stafford's nine completions on third down were his most since he also had nine against the Bills in Week 1 of the 2022 season. The Rams' offense, which entered the game 30th in third-down conversion rate this season, was 11-of-15 on third down Sunday. According to ESPN Research, that was their highest third-down conversion percentage in a game since December 2001.
"I thought Matthew was in total command," McVay said. "He ends up checking off, getting us into the right play on Puka's touchdown right there when they brought the zero blitz. And that was kind of reflective of what he did all day.
"They're an excellent defense but I thought he was able to put us in some really good spots. And he's a stud."