Puka Nacua Is Back, But The Rams Defense Just Took A Gut Punch For Week 4

The Los Angeles Rams are sitting at a shaky 1-2 right now, and they are desperate to avoid staring down a brutal 1-3 start when they roll into Week 4 to face the Philadelphia Eagles. While the Eagles are reportedly going to be without Dallas Goedert, DeVonta Smith, and Zach Baun, the Rams have some serious injury drama of their own, particularly around two of their biggest names: Aaron Donald and Puka Nacua. ESPN’s Adam Schefter dropped the news, and Rams fans are probably feeling a mix of relief and dread.

Nacua’s Return Is A Massive Win For The Offense

First, the good news for the Rams: Puka Nacua is expected to play against the Eagles. This is a huge, huge plus for their offense, especially considering they are going up against that notoriously tough Eagles secondary. Getting your top target back is absolutely crucial. With Nacua back in action, Matthew Stafford gets his main weapon, and Davante Adams can slide back into a number two role. That kind of receiving depth is exactly what you need when facing a stout defensive backfield. You gotta wonder if this will be enough to spark their scoring and keep them from falling further behind.

Aaron Donald’s Absence Leaves A Giant Hole

Now, for the gut punch: Aaron Donald is out for Sunday’s game because of a back injury. Man, talk about a tough blow. Donald, who had been playing great in his first two games since coming out of retirement, is a game-wrecker, and his absence leaves a massive question mark on that Rams defense. His defensive line is already without Myles Garrett, another top offseason addition. Add in that Jaylen Watson is also sidelined for Week 4, and suddenly three of the Rams’ big four offseason defensive upgrades aren’t available. You just know the Eagles are licking their chops at that prospect.

This Week 4 matchup against the 2-1 Eagles is going to be a real test for the Rams. While getting Nacua back on the field is a huge boost for the offense, losing a superstar like Donald creates a massive void on the defensive line. Can the offense put up enough points to cover for a potentially struggling defense? This game will tell us a lot about what kind of season the Rams are really going to have.

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Originally reported by The Sporting News.