NFL teams
Sarah Barshop, ESPN Staff Writer 5d

Rams' Puka Nacua dives for TD catch vs. Patriots

NFL, Los Angeles Rams

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The Los Angeles Rams got another takeaway from their defense Sunday against the New England Patriots, but unlike last week, they were able to take advantage.

On the play after Braden Fiske strip-sacked Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, quarterback Matthew Stafford threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Puka Nacua.

With the diving catch, Nacua had four receptions for 86 yards and the TD. After making the play, Nacua was checked out by the medical staff in the end zone and went into the injury tent.

According to NFL Next Gen Stats, the touchdown pass to Nacua had a completion probability of 13.5%. That's Stafford's lowest completion probability on a passing touchdown since 2017, when NGS began tracking that stat.

In Week 10 against the Miami Dolphins -- a game in which the Rams did not score a touchdown -- Los Angeles fumbled the ball the play after the defense intercepted a pass.

The Nacua touchdown gave the Rams a 14-7 lead in the second quarter.

The Rams quickly added to their lead 50 seconds into the second half.

On second down, Stafford found wide receiver Cooper Kupp for 69 yards. It was Kupp's second touchdown of the day and his first game with more than one receiving TD since Sept. 18, 2022.

Stafford threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game late in the third quarter, finding tight end Colby Parkinson on second down. It was Stafford's first completion to a tight end in the game.

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