2023 NFL Power Rankings: Los Angeles Rams

Young riser: WR Puka Nacua

Nacua is 22, but Rams head coach Sean McVay has called the receiver one of the most mature rookies he has been around. Nacua has put up WR1 numbers, and he's done it even with Cooper Kupp back on the field. On Sunday, he had eight catches for 154 yards, giving him 752 on the season. He is the second player in NFL history with 700 or more receiving yards in his first seven career games, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Nacua was a fifth-round pick but has done nothing but impress in his first NFL season. -- Sarah Barshop

When Matthew Stafford scrambled for a first down on third-and-7 late in the third quarter, I thought the Rams were going to go up two touchdowns and finish off the Steelers. They'd controlled the ball for nearly 29 minutes at one point, against the Steelers' 16. But the game then tilted in Pittsburgh's favor, starting with Brett Maher's missed field-goal try, his second of the day. He also missed an extra-point attempt. You blink, and the Rams are suddenly 3-4 and dealing with kicker issues. It's been a strange start to the season, alternately promising and frustrating. A lack of healthy running backs was a factor for L.A. on Sunday; it really would be fun to see this offense operating at peak performance. Next up: at Dallas.

UPDATE: On Tuesday, the Rams released kicker Brett Maher.

They lost another close game this week, this time to Steelers at home. Now they face a tough road game at Dallas against a rested Cowboys team.

Brett Maher missed an extra point and two field goals, though both were beyond 50 yards, in Sunday's seven-point loss to Pittsburgh. Rather than wait to see if this spiraled into a similar situation as what Maher experienced in the 2022 postseason with Dallas, LA cut him Tuesday.

One question: Can Puka Nacua lead the NFL in catches?

The Rams rookie receiver has gone well past feel-good story. He still fits that description with the most catches by any player in his first seven NFL games (58), but it's time to start looking at him as a really good player. Nacua, who had eight catches Sunday, leads the NFL in receptions and is on pace to have the fourth-most catches in a single season in league history. His 752 receiving yards trail only Tyreek Hill.

The Rams' success is going to hinge on the ability to score points, and the Steelers just shut them down in the home stretch. Hindsight is 20/20, but they would've had one last shot at a game-tying touchdown if Sean McVay had held on to a timeout in the second half.

Puka Nacua did not disappear when Cooper Kupp returned. He had eight catches for 154 yards on Sunday. He looks like an elite NFL receiver. How did the rest of the league let him fall to the fifth round?

This team can't afford to lose games it should win.

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