Why Puka Nacua Is Setting NFL Records | The Play Sheet
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- čas přidán 2. 06. 2024
- The Ringer’s Ben Solak breaks down how the Los Angeles Rams are using rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua, why it’s resulting in Puka setting NFL rookie records, and how Puka will be affected (or not affected) when star pass catcher Cooper Kupp returns from injury for L.A.
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Went to high school with Puka. Such a cool guy. Love seeing him succeed!
If you watched any BYU you saw that Nakua was an elite pass catcher. He was hurt a lot, but when he was healthy…he made “wow” plays consistently.
Puka was very good at BYU. He was just banged up *a lot*
need a vid of Solak running routes… do it for the people!
that would be great
He can be WR2 to Tom Grossi's WR1
I’d pay to see that…
no
@@benjaminsolak4274 bahahah 😭😂
It's not that Puka was unproductive at BYU, it's that he was hurt a ton. His last season at BYU was brutal--he missed several games and was limited by lingering injuries in others. But when he was healthy, he looked NFL-ready as like a redshirt sophomore. He's incredibly skilled.
Puka's IQ when it comes to route running is crazy. Imagine if he had footwork like Davante Adams, he would be unstoppable.
*footwork like Cooper kupp
Let's calm it down a bit, he's got the most catches and receiving yards facing off-coverage in the entire league. Teams are going to start jamming him at the line and that's gonna throw the timing off with Stafford which will make it a little harder to get so many targets. That said, he's definitely talented and could certainly end up in the top 20 fantasy receivers this year should kupp not come back. But he's just not gonna keep this pace up regardless
@@DeadSezSo he'll still find ways to get separation. He's a big kid and knows how to use his body. And he hasn't even scored a TD yet. Wait till Mcvay puts him in the backfield and gets him loose in the screen game.
you have to take into consderation he is learning everyday from cooper as well which is obviously helping alot , in all of his interviews hie goes on about how much Kupp is helping him
@@DeadSezSo he's played against some bad secondaries. Once Kupp gets back and they're playing against star corners Puka's Linsanity period is gonna be over
Nakua didn’t get a lot of action prior to BYU but cougar faithful saw his talent and accorded him major hero status, he did some amazing work in a short time at Y and we knew he was special.
Nacua was AMAZING in college. BYU used him as a Deebo Samuel type both receiving and running. The only reason his season and career stats seem low is because of a slew of injuries
Matt Stafford is the creator of setting records for WRs. Made Kupp a triple crown receiver let alone making Megatron CJ a record breaker
I always knew Puka was special, thank goodness he's getting a chance to prove himself.
Very fun to watch this analysis. Love Puka. His game-winning TD catch in the back of the end zone vs Boise State was a thing of beauty. Toe-tap for the win.
Now imagine Kupp with Nacua. Could very well be the best duo in the league at some point.
And Atwell
Better than brown and smith?
@@patanman thats why i say trio
#2 behind hill and waddle
They're the same player. Division is doomed if they both stay healthy
He is a big bodied WR with great hands, a sense of space, and underrated speed. With Kupp, Nakua, Atwell, and Higbee that O is gonna be hard to slow down
The Play Sheet is my favorite NFL content. Thanks so much Ben! Great work.
well done. yeah i noticed that about puka. if you watch his catches, hes not really open on most of them. stafford is just throwing the ball really well and like you said he really likes throwing it to puka for some reason.
I got Puka in my Fantasy Football line up. And Cooper Kupp in my IR slot. I’m enjoying the Puka hype train ride 😊
This show is great and underrated. I'm glad you have a spot to explain these things
Puca was my favorite receiver at BYU the whole time he was there. He definitely wasn't targeted enough, but he had some absolute crazy catches. Great hands. This doesn't surprise me at all.
Doesn’t surprise you even a little?
Just saw this today - great breakdown Ben, very impressive. What's funny (now) is that Puka has kept up the pace and sits only 42 yards behind JJefferson for the #1 spot in receiving yards (which he would have if not for a couple of penalties on chunk plays against the Colts). No shade - it will be interesting to see what happens with Kupp and Puka in the lineup...
Puka noodle! Love that kid. He is going to go very far in the NFL!
Puka reminds me a LOT of Adam Thielen. Not huge out of college, didn't put up big numbers, not a physical freak, passed up on by most of the league, but willing to do the dirty work, and INSANELY smart in catching. Plus solid hands. Thielen can run routes WAYYYY better tho.
I was thinking Theilen as well. Maybe Doug Baldwin also.
Those are some damn good players, but limited in their athleticism.
Nakua was amazing at the U of W (before transferring to BYU)even when the QB play was terrible when he was there. Somehow he just finds a way to get open.
Awesome analysis, Ben, as always. Love your energy and the insight you give me to a game a know too little about.
What lots of people underestimate about Nacua is his mindset and locker-room presence. He’s the hype man, he elevates the team around him with his excitement and he’s always on the same wavelength as the QB, he just knew what Jaren Hall was doing all the time and he adapted to it
Great analysis, thanks Ben :)
Ben and Richie you guys are good at what your doing. I appreciate the analysis. Keep it up!
This was such a well made video!
Great vid as always
Great stuff!
We must protect Ben Solak at all costs.
Very good analysis.
Hey Ringer, I like your presentation. I agree Stanford likes throwing to Puka, as many throwers have their favorites. You have a good point that the Rams may be setting up a roll for Puka, though obviously that has risk in establishing readable trends for the D.
Bone to pick, at 3:40 “it’s not the cleanest stop” and “it’s not clean” so I have to ask, which is more important: to stop on a dime or do a few step shuffle? Bottom line, he got open. I played competitive sport for 26 years. One thing I learned is that the footwork a player uses to change directions and speed is widely varied, and whatever leads to success for individual “X” is what matters. In other words, specific techniques don’t work for everybody.
As for Puka’s telegraphing moves, yeah it could be rookie slop or maybe he’s trying to set up the covers for latter plays where he telegraphs yet doesn’t do that move? As you point out, there isn’t enough of a data set. Maybe these are bad habits, or maybe he is experimenting with the opponents.
learning a lot here, thank u !
Hey, great breakdown. Just earned a sub. Keep up the good work!
Good stuff 👏🏽
Watch you for the first time , great analyst young man , you've got my sub , good job !
Ben, you are the man.
Never seen your channel before I love this content
He was amazing in the Senior Bowl. He didn't play the second half, because he had already proved himself in the first half. They were worried about injuries, which is the one issue he has.
If the 2023 nfl draft was held today, Puka would be a high 1st round pick.
I hope the Ram’s coaches and Stafford and Nacua watch this vid. Very good content. I think I’ll subscribe to ya! Thanks!
Allen Robinson last year still haunts me till this day.
More Solak!
Ben. Love hearing you on the ringer. You really are entertaining and insightful.
Correction on the Herbert love. You praise him for his game winning drive numbers. I assumed someone like you would know not to be sucked in by a surface level stat. The correct stat is that he has more, because he is asked to do it more often. He comes way back to earth when you see his efficiency in these situations, which don’t seem to stand out at all when compared to his contemporaries. All love, but just had to share.
Him and Kupp!!! 😮
Yes, McVay discovers the best way to use a players ability and implements it.
This aged like a fine, fine wine.
One things Stafford is gonna do is feed his receivers, he’s had this type of production with a few other receivers throughout his career.
I think it actually is the best rookie class of all time. Guys are still emerging as good players
i don't really watch any minor league sports so i had no idea about Nakua except that brett and ej were like he's good
anytime i see a receiver look like this lately i get terrible flashbacks to when Travis Fulgham looked like the hungriest (not great route running) receiver on the field
" puka, nakua, shooby dooby dooba" 🎶🎶
Ben, how dare you with the Rob Moore slander?! Lol
Solak for President 2024
Maybe 2044. You have to be 40 to be eligible.
@terry7907 merely a suggestion.
It’s nice to see the Comments for “Benny Soles” - as Sheil Kapadia calls him on their Ringer podcast - being much more positive this year. Last year, there were a ton of Comments that were just jealousy, and didn’t address Ben’s content. I think he brings a fresh perspective that’s so different from the ex-player, ex-coach thing we’ve been getting for decades. I’m glad Bill Simmons saw his potential and made room for him in the business. And Lord knows, the young man is enthusiastic :-D
@@terry7907Technically it’s 35. But in reality America seems to think only 60+ year olds should run. It’s terrible.
The rams were hoping to draft someone until Kupp is back, instead they GOT COOPER KUPP
Does anyone know what app he uses to draw the routes etc? Thanks
“It feels like-and it looks like-there’s a little bit of a curated role for Nacua…” (13:13)
Da Bears can’t even do this for their QB
The Rams play 11-personnel (three WRs on every down) so Nakua won't come out when Kupp is in there.
That depends on how van Jefferson or Ben skowronek preform, thus far stafford had been targeting atwell and nacua and had been preforming very well. While he struggled with Jefferson, it is possible he is on the bubble of losing his starting spot once kupp is coming back
Im not certain we see Kupp in week 5, and when we do see him he wont be 100%. He is a 30 yr old wr who has suffered back to back debolating lower body injuries. Look to Puka to continue his historic rookie season.
I don’t want to take anything away from this guy but please also look at the QB. Stafford has some flaws but his track record shows he is WR’s best friend. Megatron, Marvin Jones Jr, Kupp, OBJ (Super Bowl) & now this kid.
In terms of the team finding a role for a young talented receiver, do you have any comparisons of similar situations from the past? In other words, how common is this and how special do they think he is?
So many fantasies seasons are going to hinge on Kupp coming back and what that means for Kupp/Puka
Beginner's lock He'll get a welcome to the NFL pretty soon.
I'VE GOT PUKA LAMB AJ BROWN CHRISTIAN KIRK AS MY WR CORE
Everybody besides Bryce Young, Dude is not cut out for the NFL at all
That's not what begging the question is Ben! Yes I'm very popular at parties.
Who da fuck is Tingus Pingus!?!?
The answer is: Matthew Stafford is lights out one of the most talented QBs out there. And he's finding his best target.
Might have been successful, but that was bad spacing @6:00.
Of course his route running is off he's a rookie nobody came to the next level ahead of the next level that's what makes him special he's doing these things now think another year or two in he'll be unguardable
All I know is that the rams had a great chance to beat the niners and they blew it. But, they showed that the niners are vulnerable for sure.
It could be teams just haven't had the tape and made the adjustments to this yet.
It's funny how Stafford can throw all these WR's to triple crown status, be the fastest QB to 10,000 yards all the way up to 50,000 yards and people will act like he's only a 'decent' QB. Taking NOTHING away from Puka Nacua, because I LOVE what he's doing but that situation takes TWO to make it work. Stafford is an elite QB and when he's dialed in with a SMART WR, who understands coverage and how to beat zones, he can dart the ball into tiny windows and slice you up all day.
Would Puka be do doing this with Lamar Jackson, Justin Fields or Duh-Shawn Watson? No. Arm talent isn't celebrated anymore, now it's all about athletic freaks who run at the slightest hint of pressure. The game has gotten DUMBER.
I’m not a Ravens fan, but I think you’re forgetting that Lamar Jackson has thrown five TDs in a game more times than Stafford has, with a shorter career.
Plus, Lamar’s career QBR is six points higher than Stafford’s, while Watson’s is ten points higher…
I’m also not putting down Stafford, because he’s good. It’s just that I feel you’re overlooking those two’s skills in the pocket.
Justin Fields is terrible at passing though. You’re dead right on that one, lol.
A lot CFL movement implemented in the modern NFL game. The CFL game is better, NFL has superior athletes.
Rob Moore? More like Rob Leess
There's putting it on a dime... then there's these throws from Stafford
why?
it's pretty easy to see
Stafford. hones in on one wr.
ie kupp
and now nacua.
how can someone not look all world when your QB throws 90% of the passes to one person.
nacua isn't that good
he's catching tons of 8 yd passes.
I'd rather he catch 8 passes for 170 yds and a TD or 2.
he's not a meta wr, he's the classic possession wr
One of the biggest reasons Puka Nacua is setting records is Matthew Stafford! Every good receiver he has played with have had their best season because of him!!!
Van ness and campbell and riley moss will win droty. One of those guys
unfortunately they have no chance
@@ih8uheaux541 ok moss is out for a while so maybe not him. Campbell and van ness do
A dumbness realize he doesn't know football
Easy to put up big numbers on a team going nowhere. Rams are irrelevant
Casual
@OM1S Rams don't have any real fans, they are all casuals. They might as well move back to St. Louis, they will be irrelevant for at least the rest of the decade.
such an irrelevant comment
So happy I got this guy in dynasty. Rams got another banger.