Puka Nacua didn't put the same kinds of numbers he had as a rookie in his playoff debut, but it didn't matter.
This time, Nacua and the Los Angeles Rams got the win.
The Rams beat the Minnesota Vikings 27-9 Monday night at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, in a wild-card matchup that was relocated due to the devastating Los Angeles-area fires.
Nacua ended up with four catches for 55 yards in the victory, while adding a 7-yard run.
Now, the Rams will play at the Philadelphia Eagles next Sunday in the NFC divisional round. The game will kick off at 1 p.m. MST and be televised on NBC.
Last year, Nacua caught nine passes for 181 yards and a touchdown in the Rams' 24-23 wild-card loss to the Detroit Lions in his postseason debut.
That set a then-rookie record for receiving yards in a playoff game, though the Los Angeles Chargers ' surpassed that this year, with 197 yards in the Chargers' 32-12 loss to the Houston Texans last Saturday.
Nacua and the Rams will take the win over the accolades, though, as the Los Angeles defense held the Vikings largely in check. The Rams also scored on defense, on a Jared Verse 57-yard fumble return that gave Los Angeles a 17-3 first-half lead.
Nacua's biggest play of the night came on the first play of the game, when he caught a 27-yard pass to move the Rams quickly into Minnesota territory. That first drive ended with a Kyren Williams 5-yard touchdown catch.
Late in the first half, Nacua caught a wide receiver screen for a 12-yard gain that led to a 13-yard touchdown pass to Davis Allen that made it a 24-3 game with 15 seconds until halftime.
Nacua had three catches for 38 yards in the first half.
He also recovered a Williams fumble in Vikings territory on Los Angeles' second drive of the game. The Rams ended that drive with a field goal.
In the second half, Nacua converted a third-and-5 with a 5-yard reception, then added a 7-yard carry on an end around later in the possession. That drive also ended with a field goal.
With Nacua and the Rams moving on to the next round, 17 players with Utah ties will be on rosters of NFL teams who play in the divisional round.
Here's a look at how players with Utah ties performed in Monday night's lone wild-card weekend game.
Los Angeles
Puka Nacua, WR, BYU and Orem High:See above.
Minnesota
Taki Taimani , DL, East High:Taimani did not play. He's on injured reserve, with a designation to return.
Max Tooley , LB, BYU and Bountiful High:Tooley did not play. He's on the Vikings' practice squad.
