LOS ANGELES (AP) — Most of the headlines involving Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua this year have been about off-field issues, from a lawsuit to a stint in a rehab to injuries in training camp and the regular season.
On the field, there's no doubt about how significant Nacua is to the team's success. That was made clear again in the Rams’ 24-20 comeback win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
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Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) celebrates scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) celebrates his touchdown with teammates during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) leaves the field after an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) makes a catch in front of Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (54) during the second half of an NFL football game in Philadelphia, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) scores a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
“He’s such an energy spark for us, obviously,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “He made some tough catches late in the game for us over the middle. Guys were draped all over him. So he played like Puka to me.”
Nacua led the Rams (2-2) with 125 yards receiving on nine catches and had a rushing touchdown on a jet sweep after missing the previous two games because of a hip and groin injury. He also showed his typical toughness in run blocking, helping pave the way for another strong performance by running back Kyren Williams as he scored twice in the final four minutes to give Los Angeles a potentially season-salvaging victory.
“I thought he was really key and critical in those crunch-time moments,” coach Sean McVay said of Nacua.
McVay has built his offense around the all-around skill set of Nacua, as he did previously with Cooper Kupp, the MVP of Super Bowl 56 — embracing their tenacity and physicality in route running and run blocking. Nacua gives the Rams an identity that was lacking even as they piled up solid offensive production in a win over the New York Giants and a controversial loss to the Denver Broncos. He makes the Rams go, particularly Stafford, who is a streaky passer with hot and cold stretches.
But with Nacua making the tough grabs, it helped Stafford lock in for a near perfect fourth quarter, allowing the Rams to get out of the first month of the season still in shouting distance of NFC West rivals San Francisco and Seattle.
After traveling to Australia, then to the altitude of Denver and now across the country, all while navigating a spate of injuries accumulated along the way, they are in a solid position to build with more stability ahead in schedule and personnel.
The defense put the clamps on the Eagles in the second half, forcing three three-and-outs and stopping them on fourth down on their other three possessions while allowing just 67 yards. They didn't allow a third-down conversion (0 for 12), something the Rams had not accomplished since the 2017 season opener against the Colts. It was a strong response following a poor second half in the defeat to the Broncos.
Despite significant investments in time and personnel following last season’s devastating breakdowns on special teams, that unit continue to be poor. Harrison Mevis missed a 48-yard field goal, punter Ethan Evans remains erratic and a 41-yard punt return led to the Eagles’ first touchdown. The Rams showed they won't stand pat by releasing return specialist Xavier Smith on Friday and more moves could be coming following another lackluster showing.
Myles who? OLB Byron Young has stepped up while Garrett has been out following knee surgery, posting 2 1/2 sacks and two tackles for loss against the Eagles. When the Rams finally deploy Young, Garrett, Aaron Donald and Kobie Turner together, the unparalleled pass rush quality of that quartet is going to make it nearly impossible for opposing quarterbacks to operate.
Davante Adams caught four of his nine targets for 32 yards as it remains a challenge for McVay and Stafford to feature the veteran wideout and Nacua at the same time. Adams had 15 receptions for 332 yards and two touchdowns in his previous two games when Nacua was out, holding up his end against the NFL’s top corner in Denver’s Pat Surtain II. Getting the best out of Adams and Nacua could take this offense to another level.
McVay is hopeful Donald (back) and CB Jaylen Watson (shoulder) could play against the Bills. The Rams' offensive line depth might get a boost with rookie OT Keagen Trost (hamstring) and reserve OL Justin Dedich (hand) eligible to return to practice and potentially come off injured reserve this week.
100 — The Rams had eight penalties for 100 yards in Philadelphia, giving them 31 flags for 284 yards through four games. It's uncharacteristic for McVay’s teams to be that sloppy, having been the cleanest in the league last season with 75 penalties for 573 yards.
The Rams host the Bills on Monday night in what some consider a possible Super Bowl preview. Los Angeles held on for a 44-42 win in December 2024 despite Buffalo's Josh Allen becoming the first player in NFL history to have three touchdown passes and three touchdown runs in the same game in their last meeting.
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Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) celebrates scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) celebrates his touchdown with teammates during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) leaves the field after an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) makes a catch in front of Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (54) during the second half of an NFL football game in Philadelphia, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) scores a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday took his Republican midterm rescue mission to Nebraska, where he signed an executive order to ease limits on the tax-free use of red-dyed diesel, a decision he said would save “millions” for farmers and drive down the cost of all goods with just four weeks to go until the elections.
“Pete and Jim, this should absolutely ensure your election, I guarantee you that,” Trump said, addressing GOP Gov. Pete Ricketts, who is running against an independent candidate backed by national Democrats, and Gov. Jim Pillen, who is seeking a second term.
Diesel fuel prices have spiked in the aftermath of the Iran war, rattling voters and putting pressure on Republicans. Diesel fuel that is intended for off-road uses such as agriculture is exempt from federal and state excise taxes, and it is dyed for law enforcement purposes, the White House explained in a fact sheet. Temporarily removing the limits would reduce cost pressures on the businesses that rely on diesel.
“The typical trucker will save more than $100 every time they fill up,” Trump said, signing the executive order onstage before a crowd in Grand Island, Nebraska, located in the solidly conservative south-central part of the state. “Farmers will also save millions and millions of dollars, and this order will also drive down the cost of all goods and to go to grocery prices very substantially.”
Admitting his unfamiliarity with the topic, Trump was blunt: “I don't know what the hell it is,” he said of the fuel. “But whatever it is, it’s supposed to be very good.”
Patrick De Haan of GasBuddy, a platform that monitors national gasoline and diesel prices, noted last week when news of the possible action began to surface that such an order could save money for on-road users but not farmers, who already use red-dyed diesel.
"Taxes aren’t the problem, supply is," De Haan wrote on X.
Trump's trip is part of what the Republican president says is a 32-day blitz of rallies ahead of Nov. 3 that so far has taken him to ruby-red territory such as Oklahoma and Alabama.
On Wednesday, he'll make his second stop in two weeks in Texas with a rally in San Antonio.
Ricketts, a former governor of the state, was appointed then later elected to fill Sen. Ben Sasse’s seat when he left to run the University of Florida in 2023. Now Ricketts is running for his first full six-year term against independent Dan Osborn — a race that initially was not expected to be competitive but is now being watched by the national parties.
Voters across the country are frustrated with Trump's handling of the economy, including persistently high costs for fuel and groceries. It's a major issue for rural voters who have backed the president and his party in recent elections.
The administration’s plan to allow more imports of foreign beef has particularly roiled the agriculture-rich state of Nebraska. Trump wants to lower beef prices for consumers, but ranchers have rebelled against the import proposal, arguing it would undercut them.
“The plan to import low-quality foreign beef is not helping Nebraska ranchers,” Ricketts told the AP. “I would advise the White House to change that policy and look for longer-term things that will help us build the size of the herd and ultimately bring the price of beef down for consumers.”
In Grand Island, rally-goers said they they trusted Trump to solve the high cost of living.
“I feel like if we get our reserves built back up, get this situation in Iran taken care of, our gas prices will go down. The economy as far as groceries and stuff like that, it's going to go down too. It’ll stabilize. I have faith in him. More faith in him than I ever had in any other president," said Marlene Abel from Garfield, Kansas, who traveled to the rally with her sister.
David Kuncl, who grew up on a farm, also urged patience, expressing confidence things would improve in the long run. But the Lincoln, Nebraska, resident insisted Trump wasn't to blame, pointing instead to what he believes is “a coup, a plot to try to hurt Trump" and the Republicans in the midterms.
“It’s hurting us. Gas prices. Diesel prices. Beef prices," he said. “I don’t know why they’re high. But it’s not that Trump’s got anything to do with that. He’ll do what he can. But of course he can’t wave a magic wand and make it go lower.”
There are tentative plans for Trump to travel to other election battlegrounds, including Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, Kansas, Montana, Pennsylvania, Alaska, Nevada and Arizona before November's Election Day. That's according to a person familiar with the plans who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly and cautioned the plans could shift.
In the House of Representatives, the Grand Island area is represented by Republican Rep. Adrian Smith, whose race is not expected to be close. But Nebraska has a competitive House race farther east in Omaha, considered the “blue dot” of the state because the area’s electoral vote in presidential elections often goes to Democrats.
Osborn, a former labor union chief, ran against Republican Sen. Deb Fischer in 2024 and lost by 7 percentage points. Though national Democrats support him, he has refused to say what party he would caucus with should he be elected in November.
Other independents in the Senate, including Maine’s Angus King on the moderate end and Vermont’s Bernie Sanders on the left, caucus with Democrats for organizational purposes and committee assignments.
With the Democratic brand remaining deeply unpopular in conservative states, Osborn isn’t the only declared independent running for the Senate against Republicans this year. In South Dakota, Navy and Air Force veteran Brian Bengs is campaigning as an independent against Republican Sen. Mike Rounds. Bengs ran as a Democrat for the Senate four years ago and was handily defeated by now-Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
It’s a similar dynamic in Idaho, where independent Todd Achilles is challenging GOP Sen. Jim Risch.
Democratic voters in Nebraska chose Cindy Burbank as their party nominee earlier this year, but Burbank specifically campaigned on ensuring that no votes would be siphoned from Osborn in the general election in November, and she has since formally dropped out of the race.
Osborn has been traveling across Nebraska to hold meetings in all 93 counties, and has repeatedly criticized Ricketts for not holding town halls to meet with constituents.
Ricketts, whose family founded TD Ameritrade and owns Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs, served as governor from 2015 to 2023.
As Trump traveled to Nebraska, Vice President JD Vance headed to Fairbanks — with his wife and their two youngest kids in tow — to rally with Republican candidates there, including Sen. Dan Sullivan, who is locked in a contest with Democrat Mary Peltola that's one of a handful expected to determine control of the chamber in the November elections.
The two-term senator was in the Oval Office last week as Trump announced that South Korea planned to invest about $54 billion in a natural gas project in Alaska, but South Korean officials were more cautious, saying they needed to assess the project’s commercial viability before committing to the investment.
Kim and Kinnard reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in New York and Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the Pinnacle Bank Expo Center, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Grand Island, Neb. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump displays a signed executive order at a campaign rally at the Pinnacle Bank Expo Center, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Grand Island, Neb. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump hands a signed executive order to White House aide Natalie Harp at a campaign rally at the Pinnacle Bank Expo Center, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Grand Island, Neb. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
People arrive before President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Pinnacle Bank Expo Center, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Grand Island, Neb. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
People arrive before President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Pinnacle Bank Expo Center, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Grand Island, Neb. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
President Donald Trump gestures from the stairs of Air Force One upon his departure at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)
President Donald Trump dances as he departs after speaking during an event at Butler High School in Vandalia, Ohio, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
