During the off-season, Cooper Kupp co-founded a coffee company.

And when the Rams veteran receiver returned to the lineup Thursday night after a four-game absence, the recently moribund offense was expecting a welcome jolt.

The result was an unexpected double shot.

Receiver Puka Nacua also returned to the lineup and the two stars helped the Rams defeat the Minnesota Vikings 30-20 in front of 72,127 at SoFi Stadium.

Kupp caught a touchdown pass and Nacua collected 106 yards as the Rams won their second straight game and improved their record to 3-4.

Rams receiver Puka Nacua (17) catches a pass as Vikings cornerback Stephon Gilmore (2) gives chase. Nacua returned from injury and caught seven passes for 106 yards.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

Matthew Stafford threw two touchdown passes to receiver Demarcus Robinson, one to Kupp and one to running back Kyren Williams, and rookie edge rushers Jared Verse and Byron Young led the defense as the Rams followed up last Sunday’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders by Vikings to transfer. (5-2) their second loss in a row.

Kupp and Nacua’s performances buoyed a team that defeated the Raiders 20-15 and gave players confidence they could repeat last season’s turnaround, from a 3-6 start that ended in the playoffs.

But that probably couldn’t happen without Kupp and Nacua — as well as several other projected starters still on injured reserve.

Kupp, who was sidelined with an ankle injury, caught five passes for 51 yards and was assessed several pass interference penalties. Nacua, activated Thursday after spending five games on injured reserve due to a knee injury, caught seven passes.

The question now is whether the Rams will consider trading Kupp with an NFC West matchup against the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 3 – two days before the NFL trade deadline.

The 2021 NFL Offensive Player of the Year spent the first part of the week answering questions about speculation that the Rams could move on due to their poor start and Kupp’s massive contract.

“I have to control what I can control,” he said Tuesday. “And right now that means being the best LA Ram I can be and I will continue to do that.”

While Kupp’s return was expected Thursday night, Nacua’s was a surprise. The second-year pro was on injured reserve due to a knee injury during training camp that he aggravated in the season-opening loss to the Detroit Lions.

Nacua did not practice last week and the Rams opened his 21-day window to return Monday. He was listed as impaired after jogging on Tuesday and Wednesday.

But about four hours before kickoff, the Rams announced that Nacua had been activated to the roster. He was not on the list of inactive players released 90 minutes before the match, but it was still unclear how many Nacua would be able to play.

Nacua started and, after dropping a pass on the first play, looked like the player who set 2023 NFL rookie receiving records.

The Rams’ Kyren Williams (right) celebrates his touchdown catch against the Vikings with Colby Parkinson. Williams also ran for 97 yards.

(Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

Stafford, who entered the game with just three touchdown passes this season, completed 25 of 34 passes for 279 yards and the four touchdowns with an interception.

Kyren Williams rushed for 97 yards in 23 carries.

The score was 14-14 at halftime after Stafford threw touchdown passes to Williams and Kupp, and Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold connected with tight end Josh Oliver and receiver Trent Sherfield Sr. for touchdown pass plays.

Early in the third quarter, Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. intercepted. a Stafford pass. The Vikings appeared headed for a touchdown when Jefferson made a spectacular sideline catch on the Rams’ four-yard line, but the Rams forced the Vikings to settle for a field goal and a 17-14 lead.

Stafford recovered the interception to give the Rams the lead. Mid-range passes to Tutu Atwell and Nacua set up a 25-yard touchdown pass to Robinson and a 21-17 lead.

After another Vikings field goal, Kupp was assessed a pass interference penalty that set up Stafford’s 10-yard touchdown pass to Robinson, extending the lead to eight points.

With less than two minutes left, Young sacked Darnold in the end zone for a safety that gave the Rams their final 10-point margin. Television replays showed Young had grabbed Darnold’s facemask during the tackle, but the officials did not see the penalty and the play could not be reviewed.