The Minnesota Vikings are retreading their only two losses of the 2024 calendar year, heading to play the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC wild-card round after a loss to the Detroit Lions.
The first time around, Minnesota, coming off a 31-29 loss to the Lions in Week 7, had a four-day turnaround before playing in Los Angeles on “Thursday Night Football.”
The game plan had to develop quickly, and the Rams took full advantage of that by stretching out star receiver Puka Nacua‘s return from a knee injury down to the final hours before kickoff.
Los Angeles opened Nacua’s 21-day return-to-practice window on Tuesday that week and activated him off injured reserve just four hours before the game.
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores admitted that the Vikings were surprised that Nacua would play, saying “there was a little bit of scrambling.”
“When we saw them it was the first game that Puka was back, he’s a big part of their offense and what they do. Outstanding player — hands, physical contested catches, run-after — they do a great job of finding different ways of giving him the football,” Flores said in a January 7 news conference. “Quite honestly, we were a little bit surprised that he was out there. … There was a little bit of scrambling.”
Nacua proved to be fully healthy, securing a team-high seven receptions for 106 yards and playing a vital role as a run-blocker.
Flores assured that he has a plan for the Pro Bowl receiver in Monday night’s rematch.
“They’re a very different team with Puka out there. He brings an element in both the run and the pass game,” Flores said. “We know he’s going to be out there now this time and… I’ll do a better job making sure our guys are prepared.”
Rams’ Puka Nacua Presents Problems for Vikings
The Rams offense is predicated on 11 personnel — one running back, one tight end, three wide receiver sets — which they run on 80.9% of plays compared to the league average 60.6%, per SumerSports.
Los Angeles’ offense pivots between run and pass in this personnel group seamlessly and makes opposing defenses have to play in smaller packages to respect their receiver group which Nacua and fellow Pro Bowler Cooper Kupp.
Nacua’s physicality as a run-blocker makes him the centerpiece of Sean McVay‘s deception of 11 personnel. Using pre-snap motion more than any team in the league, Los Angeles can decipher the defense and audible in and out of plays based on the tell the defense gave reacting to the motion.
At 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, Nacua’s versatility offers the ability to line up as a trusted lead blocker or break out for a pass with the slightest wrinkle to the play-call.
Vikings’ Brian Flores Has Bested Ram’s McVay Before
While McVay is one of the NFL’s brightest minds, Flores has gotten the better of the Rams coordinator before.
In 2018, Flores was promoted to play-calling late in the 2018 season as the linebackers coach for the New England Patriots. Flores dialed up disguises and opportune blitzes, sacking Jared Goff four times and holding the Rams quarterback to 3-of-12 on third down and a 57.6 passer rating en route to a 13-3 victory in the Super Bowl.
“There’s no other way to say it, but I got out-coached,” McVay said after the Super Bowl in 2019, per the Miami Herald.
While McVay got the better of Flores in their most recent matchup in Week 8, the Vikings were without inside linebacker, who is the heart of communication in Flores’ defense.
