The Lions–Rams NFC Wild Card revenge game just started and there are already some casualties on the offensive side of the ball. Unfortunately, Rams staples Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua got injured, that too on the same play. How could that be possible?

Well, the answer lies in the second quarter of the thrilling clash between the Lions and the Rams. The center took the snap; Stafford took a few steps back as the blitz approached. In the process of doing so, Stafford was tripped up by a defender. When he got up, he was limping and while Stafford seemed to be alright, Puka Nacua didn’t look all that well.

On the same play, Nacua dived and reeled in the throw from his quarterback. However, he was slow to get up. The QB-WR duo went to the blue tent to get checked out. It was reported that Nacua worsened a knee injury that he sustained during the training camp. From the looks of it, he won’t be returning to the game any time soon.

The Los Angeles Rams provided a much-needed update on the players who suffered injuries throughout the first half of the game. The team took to X and updated the fans saying, “Rams Injury Updates: OL Joe Noteboom (ankle) and WR Puka Nacua (knee) are questionable to return.”

As evident, there are others besides Nacua who have been injured. The left tackle Joe Notebloom was carted off the field to the locker room and unfortunately for the Rams, the lineman might not return. Notebloom was seen with a taped-up ankle, limping on the field before he was carted off. Now, if these players do not return, replacements are bound to be in their place.

Puka Nacua was replaced by Tyler Johnson, while the Rams decided to bring out AJ Arcuri to replace Notebloom. The Rams LT, Notebloom, was already short of personnel with Alaric Jackson and Rob Havenstein missing from the game. It seems like the Rams’ desire to overpower the Detroit Lions after the 24-23 loss in the NFC Wild Card game might not come true.

Stafford threw for 367 yards and 2 touchdowns in that game Wild Card game last year. It seems like Stafford and Co. might face déjà vu once again looking at the way things are going. The Lions’ defense is clearly overpowering the Los Angeles Rams football team.

The Lions defense helping Jared Goff to get an edge over Matthew Stafford

It all boils down to the defense in this game. While the Detroit Lions are sacking and picking Matthew Stafford without a sweat, the same can’t be said about the Rams. The former Super Bowl-winning QB couldn’t score a touchdown in the first half and even got picked in the end zone by Kerby Joseph, the Lions’ safety. That was Stafford’s first pick of the game.

But something else happened before that. With 6:30 left in the second quarter, Stafford made a throw intended for Cooper Kupp, but the pass was interfered with by Carlton Davis, the former Bucs cornerback that the Lions acquired this year. That’s not all because just like the defense, the Lions’ offense was shining evidently. Goff threw a 52-yard pass to Jameson Williams, who ran it into the end zone.

It’s salient to note that the Rams’ defense is struggling without Aaron Donald and their players are falling like chess pieces. Who do you think will win the game at Ford Field? Let us know below.