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Watch: Rams WR Puka Nacua ejected for punching Seahawks defender
The Los Angeles Rams finally got wide receiver Puka Nacua back in the lineup last week after he missed five weeks due to injury. He made an immediate impact by going for 106 yards on seven catches in a 30-20 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
He was not quite as impactful on Sunday in a huge NFC West game against the Seattle Seahawks, as he ended up getting ejected late in the second quarter for throwing a punch away from the play.
Here is a look at it.
Rams WR Puka Nacua has been ejected from today's game. pic.twitter.com/BTOeE5JaXV
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 3, 2024
It is difficult to see it clearly from that replay angle, but he was engaged with Seahawks defensive back Coby Bryant and took a swing at him after the play.
Punching an opponent is one of the things that will get you an automatic disqualification from an NFL game, and Nacua found that out on Sunday.
He caught one pass for 11 yards before he was ejected.
The Rams entered the game with a 3-4 record and were a half-game behind the Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers and Seahawks who were all tied at the top of the division with matching 4-4 records.
Injuries to Nacua and Cooper Kupp have significantly limited the Rams offense this season. The past two weeks are the first time they have had both of them together this season, and now Nacua went and got himself removed from the game.
More must-reads:
- Puka Nacua Has No Structural Damage In Knee
- Rams defender fined for game-deciding play that wasn't penalized
- The '100 catches in an NFL season for each team' quiz
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Commanders flaw exposed in blowout preseason loss to Ravens
The Washington Commanders have a potentially significant problem on special teams. During Saturday's 30-3 preseason Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, kicker Matt Gay missed a 53-yard field goal wide left at the end of Washington's first offensive possession. Gay finished the preseason 3-of-5 on field goal attempts. He also missed a 49-yarder wide left in preseason Week 1 against the New England Patriots. Gay's struggles continue the chaotic journey for the Commanders at kicker. Last season's Week 1 starter, Cade York, went 0-of-2 in the opener and was promptly released. His replacement, Austin Seibert, was in the midst of a fantastic season through Week 9, going 25-of-27 on field goals and 22-of-22 on extra points before missing two weeks with a hip injury. He was later placed on injured reserve after missing three kicks in a loss to the Dallas Cowboys, including a would-be tying extra point following a wild 86-yard touchdown with under a minute remaining. Zane Gonzalez and Greg Joseph combined to go 7-of-10 on field goals the rest of the season, including each missing a 50-yard attempt. Overall, Commanders kickers struggled from long distance, with the four combining to go 2-of-8 on attempts of 50 yards or more. Only the Philadelphia Eagles had a worse percentage (14.3%) on attempts of at least 50 yards, per Pro Football Reference data. Washington signed Gay to a one-year, $4.25M fully guaranteed contract in late April following the 2025 NFL Draft. Per CBS Sports, it's the largest guaranteed contract for a kicker on a one-year deal in NFL history. Last season while with the Indianapolis Colts, Gay was 3-of-9 on 50-yard field goals. The Commanders have the talent on offense to be one of the league's top scoring units, so they might not need to convert many tries from over 50 yards. Still, having a kicker who can reliably hit from that distance is an undeniable asset, particularly late in close games or on possessions that stall after crossing midfield. Washington largely has a roster capable of contending for a Super Bowl. But following its final tune-up before the regular season, kicking is a notable flaw.
Dallas Stars lock up one of the league's best players with massive extension today in hockey history
Pat McAfee has strong reaction to Hall of Fame honor
Former punter Pat McAfee is receiving an honor that is rare for a special teams member. On Friday, West Virginia announced that McAfee was one of six players entering the program's Hall of Fame for the 2025 class. McAfee is thankful for the recognition from his former school. He used some strong language to react to WVU's reveal. "It was nice to have an opportunity to think back and reminisce about a great era of my life," McAfee posted on X. "I am so thankful for the recognition. This is normally something I would try and f------ hate.. I’d say that it’s b------- and they feel obligated to do this but; this call made my soul feel good. Thanks for the opportunity to be a Mountaineer @RealCoachRod.. it was an honor." McAfee was a highly productive specialist at West Virginia, earning First-team All-American honors in 2008. During his time with the Mountaineers, he set the school record for most games played (51), scoring (384) and extra points made (210). He held the Big East record for most extra points made, when he made 210 of 212 attempts. McAfee's success at West Virginia propelled the Indianapolis Colts to select him in the seventh round of the 2009 draft. He earned All-Pro honors in 2014 and made the Pro Bowl in 2014 and 2016. He has the highest career net average in punting years with 41.1. McAfee should be proud of his achievements during his days in college and the legacy he is building with the program. The ESPN pundit even used his influence to speak with WVU athletic director Wren Baker to help with the coaching search that ultimately brought back Rich Rodriguez to the school.
Former Yankees Outfielder Rips Aaron Boone, Brian Cashman
The New York Yankees have been having a rough couple of months, losing their once-dominant lead of the AL East. Now, both Yankees manager Aaron Boone and general manager Brian Cashman are on the receiving end of some tough words by a former player, outfielder Clint Frazier. Boone has been criticized by a number of analysts (not to mention Yankees fans) for lineup and mid-game moves that range from head-scratching to downright bizarre, especially for a team that has been having a hard time securing wins. Cashman has repeatedly defended Boone, arguing that is knowledge of the players' capabilities is driving his decisions. To Frazier, Cashman's defense of Boone is self-serving because Cashman is the person who is responsible for Boone's tenure as manager. “When Cashman comes out and gives support to Boone, lowkey, I kind of feel like that’s self-preservation,” Frazier said on his podcast. “I know his resume is insane, but when he gives the confidence boost to Boone, I was saying ‘he’s got to, because Booney is the frontline of defense for him. I brought this guy in, and I have to support him, because he’s my guy.' Boone is Cashman’s shadow a little bit." Frazier, who played for the Pinstripes from 2017 to 2021, went on to discuss the Yankees' playoff chances, criticizing Boone for his lineup and mid-game decisions, which he claims will impact the team negatively during the post-season. “You need to make sure that you aren’t walking into it with bad decisions, because these are the decisions they’ll be doing in the playoffs,” he said. “They’re going to be way more under the microscope in the playoffs... You’ve got to make sure that you’re buttoned up and ready to go. If you start firing from the hip, it becomes a mockery of what every guy is trying to do.” While the Yankees are doing better now than they were at the time of Frazier's comments, surpassing the Boston Red Sox for second place in the AL East and securing the top spot in the AL Wild Card standings, they still aren't consistent. For New York to secure a trip to the World Series for the second year in a row, they're going to have to play better, which requires Boone to make better decisions. Make sure to bookmark Yankees On SI to get all your daily New York Yankees news, interviews, breakdowns and more! Yankees Have Advantage in Cody Bellinger Sweepstakes Former Yankees Pitchers Swap Places On NL Contender Hall of Famer Explains Leaving Red Sox for Yankees Mariano Rivera's Injury End of Yankees Old-Timer's Game? Four Yankees Among MLB's Top 25 Free Agents
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Incarnate Word vs Nicholls Prediction, Pick, Odds for Saturday, August 23
The Incarnate Word Cardinals take on the Nicholls Colonels on Saturday, August 23, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Incarnate Word comes in as a 13.5-point favorite in this contest with a total set at 51.5. This is a major start to the season for both teams in a top-heavy Southland Conference that will be highly contested. Here’s my Incarnate Word vs. Nicholls predictions and college football picks for Saturday, August 23, 2025. Incarnate Word vs Nicholls Pick: Nicholls +13.5 or Better My Incarnate Word vs. Nicholls best bet is on the Colonels to cover the spread. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page. Incarnate Word vs Nicholls Odds Incarnate Word comes in the cream of the crop in the Southland this season after winning the league last season and advancing to the second round of the FCS Playoffs. Third-year head coach Clint Killough has turned UIW into a consistent winner fueled by dynamic offensive output, and 2024 was no different. Led by quarterback Zach Calzada and three electric wide receivers, the UIW offense averaged 39 points per game in conference play while also finding consistency in the running game. Calzada departs this season, as does FCS All-American wide receiver Roy Alexander. For the first time in the Killough tenure, there’s not a superstar player commanding the offense. Local product Richard Torres won the quarterback battle in fall camp, beating out EJ Colson and Deyon Batiste, who both transferred in from FBS. Torres does have a bit of experience under center for the Cardinals, throwing for 64 yards with a touchdown and an interception a season ago. The leading rusher from last season, Dekalon Taylor, departs along with three all-conference starters along the offensive line. Overall, four starters return. This UIW offense should find itself atop the Southland Conference once again, but there could be some growing pains with new personnel. Defensively, the Cardinals return five starters and seven of their top 14 tacklers overall, although the linebacker room is in need of some transfers to step up after the departures of Mister Williams, Darius Sanders and Tylan Foster. The defensive line loses two of its top pass rushers, and I would guess we see a drop this season in both rushing yards allowed and Havoc created by this unit. The secondary sees both of their starting safeties leave, but the cornerback positions are shored up, and UIW did make effective use of the portal to bring in some talent. Nicholls comes in after a disappointing 4-8 season in 2024 that saw long-tenured head coach Tim Rebowe retire at the end of the season, and defensive coordinator Tommy Rybacki was internally promoted to head coach. The offense sputtered in 2024 due to inconsistent quarterback play and its inability to stay on the field with third-down conversions. The Colonels bring in Deuce Hogan — who has previous stops at Iowa, Kentucky and New Mexico State — to lead the offense this season and return productive running back Miquele Brock. The receiver room is talented, and the offensive line returns four players who started games last year for the Colonels, so the pieces are there for improvement on this side of the ball. The Colonels’ stop unit was the strength of the team last season. This group ranked in the top third in Southland Conference play in most defensive performance metrics. Nicholls allowed just 2.9 yards per carry on the ground last season and gave up just 287 yards per game in league play. It finished sixth in FCS, allowing just 29% conversions on third down, and was excellent in the red zone, allowing touchdowns on just 54% of trips. Nine starters return along the defensive line, including Rasheed Lovelace and Alex Villavaso. The secondary has experience, and I would expect solid pass coverage from this group once again this season. I fully expect a solid performance here from the Nicholls defense in this game. This unit gave Southland Conference opponents fits last year with its pass rush and how well it held up against the run. UIW sees significant talent depart offensively and will also see Killough call the plays this year, as Conner McQueen (OC, QB coach in 2024) is off to the Las Vegas Raiders. With UIW breaking in a new quarterback and working the kinks out along the offensive line, I don’t anticipate a powerful offensive performance on the road against an upper-tier SLC defense. Nicholls will create some unique looks and make life tough on Torres. The Nicholls offense has some experience along the offensive line and at running back, while Hogan can take advantage of a weaker pass rush and inexperienced safeties. Pick: Nicholls +13.5 or Better
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