The Los Angeles Rams are above .500 for the first time this season, and they got there the hard way. The Rams beat the Washington Commanders 20-13 on Sunday, November 8, 2026, at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, winning their third straight game behind a career-day performance from Puka Nacua and a dominant return from Myles Garrett.

Nacua caught 14 passes for 150 yards and the go-ahead touchdown on a team-high 19 targets, while Garrett recorded three sacks, a forced fumble and three tackles for loss in his first game back from knee surgery — a win built on two stars delivering exactly when it mattered.

Key Points

• The Los Angeles Rams beat the Washington Commanders 20-13 on Sunday, November 8, 2026, at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, in NFL Week 9.
• Puka Nacua caught 14 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown on 19 targets, including the go-ahead seven-yard score with 12:51 left in the fourth quarter.
• Myles Garrett had three sacks, one forced fumble, three quarterback hits and three tackles for loss in his first game back from knee surgery.
• Blake Corum gave the Rams their first lead with a 29-yard touchdown run on the opening drive of the second half.
• The win lifts the Rams to 5-4, above .500 for the first time this season, while the Commanders fall to 2-5-1.

What Happened

For most of the afternoon, this looked like a game the Rams might let slip away. Washington held them in check early, the Rams went 0-for-9 on third down until late in the third quarter, and the score was tied 13-13 when the fourth quarter began.

The turning point came on the opening drive of the second half, when Corum broke free for a 29-yard touchdown run that gave the Rams their first lead of the day. Washington answered to tie it again, and from there the game became a test of which side would make the decisive play. The answer arrived with 12:51 left in the fourth quarter, when Matthew Stafford found Nacua for a contested seven-yard touchdown catch that broke the 13-13 tie and put Los Angeles ahead for good.

Washington had one last chance, but the Rams' defence closed the door. The Commanders' final drive ended when Chig Okonkwo's catch-and-lateral fell short of the end zone, and a forced fumble by Jaylen McCollough, recovered by Byron Young, sealed the win. Stafford finished 26-of-43 for 228 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Background: A Season Turning on Two Stars

The Rams arrived in Landover at 4-4, a team that had won two straight but had still not climbed above .500 all season. The win over the Commanders a week earlier had steadied them, yet the questions remained: could the offence find a rhythm on the road, and could the defence hold up without Garrett, who had been out since knee surgery?

Garrett's return answered the second question emphatically: his three sacks and forced fumble gave the Rams' pass rush the edge it had been missing. And Nacua's 19 targets told their own story — when the Rams needed a play, Stafford looked for No. 12, and more often than not, Nacua delivered.

Rams Beat Commanders 20-13: Nacua and Garrett Take Over

Nacua's afternoon was a masterclass in volume and timing. Fourteen catches on 19 targets is the kind of workload usually reserved for a team's only option, and Nacua made it count, turning short throws into first downs and beating tight coverage on the touchdown that decided the game. His 150 receiving yards were the most by any Rams player this season, and the contested catch in the fourth quarter was the sort of play that defines a win.

Garrett was just as decisive. Three sacks in a first game back from knee surgery is a statement, and the forced fumble added to a stat line that also included three quarterback hits and three tackles for loss. Washington's offensive line had no consistent answer for him, and every time the Commanders tried to mount a drive, Garrett was there to push it backwards.

Reactions

The reaction around the Rams was relief as much as celebration: three straight wins, a record above .500 for the first time this season, and two stars returning to form at once. The win was not pretty, and the third-down struggles will be a focus this week, but the result is what matters in November.

For Washington, the mood is very different. The Commanders fall to 2-5-1, and the season is slipping away. They had the Rams on the ropes for three quarters, tied at 13-13, but could not find the one play that would have swung the game. The final drive, ending with a lateral that fell short of the end zone, summed up a day of near misses.

Why It Matters

It matters because the Rams are now 5-4 and above .500 for the first time this season, with the trade deadline arriving on Tuesday, November 10. Three straight wins change the conversation around a team: instead of asking whether Los Angeles is a buyer or a seller, the question is now how far this group can go if Nacua and Garrett stay healthy.

It also matters because of how the win was earned. The Rams were 0-for-9 on third down until late in the third quarter and still found a way to win, leaning on their two best players when the game was on the line. Teams that win ugly in November are the ones still playing in January, and this was an ugly win in the best sense of the phrase.

What Happens Next

The Rams visit the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10, a divisional game that will test whether this three-game winning streak is the start of a real run. Washington, meanwhile, must regroup at 2-5-1 with the season running short on time. The Commanders have talent, but the margin for error is gone, and the next loss could end any realistic hope of a turnaround.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score of Rams vs Commanders?
The Los Angeles Rams beat the Washington Commanders 20-13 on Sunday, November 8, 2026, at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, in NFL Week 9.

How many yards did Puka Nacua have?
Nacua caught 14 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown on a team-high 19 targets.

How many sacks did Myles Garrett have?
Three sacks, along with one forced fumble, three quarterback hits and three tackles for loss, in his first game back from knee surgery.

What are the Rams' and Commanders' records after the game?
The Rams improved to 5-4, above .500 for the first time this season. The Commanders fell to 2-5-1.

Who do the Rams play next?
Los Angeles visits the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10.

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