Cooper Kupp won't just be a familiar face when the Rams play the Vikings

Cooper Kupp is aware of the rumors of a possible trade by the Rams.

On Thursday night, however, the veteran receiver's focus will be on returning to the lineup for the first time since suffering an ankle injury in the second week of the season.

“I feel really good,” Kupp said this week as the Rams prepared for their game against the Minnesota Vikings at SoFi Stadium.

It remains to be seen whether the Rams will move on from the 2021 NFL Offensive Player of the Year position by the NFL trade deadline on November 5th – or keep him if coach Sean McVay's injury-plagued team shows signs of a turnaround and playoff push second season in a row.

That makes the “Thursday Night Football” matchup against the Vikings crucial in more ways than one.

The Rams are 2-4 after beating the Las Vegas Raiders last Sunday, but now every game is like a playoff game for them.

A win over the Vikings (5-1), who suffered their first loss in a last-minute loss to the Detroit Lions, would give the Rams their first consecutive victory. It would also strengthen their belief that they can repeat the 2023 turnaround that saw them recover from a 3-6 start to 10-7 and reach the playoffs.

That probably can't happen unless injured players continue to return.

Receiver Puka Nacua participated in two passes this week and is listed as questionable for Thursday night, but that appears to be pure gamemanship. Will McVay risk playing as a second-year pro without the benefit of full workouts?

But if Kupp returns to form — he caught 14 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown in the season opener — and Nacua and offensive linemen Steve Avila, Jonah Jackson and Joe Noteboom eventually return, a push in the wide-open NFC West is still possible .

The Aries and Vikings have a lot in common.

Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell was the Rams' offensive coordinator during the 2021-22 season when he won a Super Bowl alongside Matthew Stafford (9).

(Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press)

Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell served as the Rams' offensive coordinator during the 2021 Super Bowl championship season. Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips and assistants Thad Bogardus and Chris O'Hara were also on Sean McVay's staff.

The Vikings' roster includes several former Rams players, including running back Cam Akers, tight end Johnny Mundt, receiver Brandon Powell and backup quarterback Brett Rypien.

Defensive coordinator Brian Flores never coached under McVay, but the Rams won't forget their last encounter with an aggressive defense under Flores. In 2020, when he was head coach of the Miami Dolphins, Flores' defense confused and dominated the Rams.

The Vikings are similarly aggressive: They are third in the NFL with 24 sacks.

“The teams that couldn’t keep up physically and in intensity were eliminated,” Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said.

So the Rams have to protect quarterback Matthew Stafford.

The Raiders hit Stafford 10 times, the second straight game in which the 16th-year pro took at least 10 hits.

The short week didn't give Stafford — or any Rams or Vikings player — much time to recover.

“I feel pretty good, so I’ll be fine,” Stafford said. “At this point, it’s a state of mind. You put the ball on the tee, kick it loose, and I don’t care how you feel, it’s time to go and I know our guys understand that.”

Some players welcome the short turnaround.

“Thursday's games are the best because it's just a matter of: Install it quickly, get everything out and go,” said Rams edge rusher Michael Hoecht. “They’re a lot of fun.”

The Rams defense had a lot of fun against the Raiders. Cornerback Cobie Durant intercepted a pass and forced a fumble, which safety Kam Curl returned for a touchdown. Safety Jaylen McCollough intercepted two passes.

“Once you have a little bit of success, now you can start to play a little bit more freely,” defensive coordinator Chris Shula said. “I think that hopefully that’s what happened and hopefully that’s what will continue to happen.”

Kupp is looking for a similar feeling.

“I don’t like leaving the field,” he said. “I would like to be able to play as much as possible and that will be my attitude.

“If I’m healthy, I can do it.”