INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Minnesota Vikings 30-20 on “Thursday Night Football.”

The Rams got two key starters — wide receivers Cooper Kupp (ankle) and Puka Nacua (knee) — back from injury and scored a season-high 30 points against a Vikings team that entered the game ranked No. 1 in defensive DVOA.

Los Angeles only got a glimpse of its top two receivers on the field in the season opener before Nacua injured a knee in the loss. Kupp sprained an ankle the following week and the offense struggled to find consistency without the pair on the field.

The returns of Kupp and Nacua opened the field for the Rams and quarterback Matthew Stafford, who completed passes to nine different players in the win. Nacua led the way with nine goals, while Kupp had eight and running back Kyren Williams had seven.

The win increased the Rams’ record to 3-4, with two of those three wins coming four days apart. And despite the Rams’ 1-4 start, Los Angeles enters the weekend tied with the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals at 3-4. The Rams are just one game back of the division-leading Seattle Seahawks.

Los Angeles plays Seattle in Week 9.

Most surprising performance: The Rams kept Nacua’s return quiet and activated him from injured reserve despite him being unable to practice due to the short week.

But Stafford went to Nacua early and often on Thursday night, and the second-year receiver led the Rams with seven catches for 106 yards on nine targets.

Nacua played 35 of 65 offensive snaps for Los Angeles.

QB breakdown: Stafford came into the game with just three passing touchdowns this season.

He more than doubled that Thursday night, throwing two in the first half and two in the second half to wide receiver Demarcus Robinson.

Stafford had one of his best games of the season, completing 24 of 33 passes for 270 yards and an interception.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Stopping Justin Jefferson.

Jefferson, who Rams defensive coordinator Called Rams receiver Chris Shula “the best in the world” leading up to this game, had eight catches for 115 yards Thursday night.

The Rams’ pass defense came into the game ranked 30th in DVOA, and the group struggled to contain the Vikings’ best player.

Next game: at Seahawks (4:25 PM ET, Sunday, November 3)

Who are the Minnesota Vikings? The team that dominated the first five games of the season with the largest point differential in the NFL? Or the one who has now lost two games in five days?

That’s what Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell and his staff will be thinking about as they travel back to Minnesota after Thursday’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

It’s one thing to have dropped a two-point game last Sunday against the Detroit Lions, who are arguably the best team in football. But the Rams were 2-4 before Thursday night and have reportedly considered trading trade receiver Cooper Kupp, one of the franchise’s cornerstones, in a potential season-ending franchise.

The answer often lies somewhere in the middle. ESPN’s Football Power Index predicted the Vikings would win 6.8 games this season, and it’s very likely they’ll surpass that mark. And there will be a lot of discussion about the uncalled facemask penalty when the Rams fired quarterback Sam Darnold for what turned out to be a game safety.

But after watching the Vikings defense give up four touchdown passes to Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and big chunks of yards in between, and knowing the difficult task they have playing in the NFC North, it’s clear we don’t yet know how well this is. team can be.

Describe the game in two words: Jefferson outbreak.

Jefferson entered the game with 531 receiving yards in six games, fifth-most in the NFL, but he had just one 100-yard performance before Thursday night.

In fact, he said last week, “I’m absolutely sick of having these 80-, 90-yard games. I definitely need to get over that 100-plus yard hump. It’s going to be one of these games that we’ll to play.” We’re going to show the world what we’re really capable of, and hopefully it’s Thursday night.”

Jefferson eclipsed the 100-yard mark with a 27-yard reception juggle in the third quarter, finishing with 115 yards on eight catches.

Worrying trend: Left tackle Christian Darrisaw was ruled out after suffering a left knee injury late in the second quarter.

There was no immediate word on the severity of the injury, but he needed help from medical staff to get from the field to the locker room.

The Vikings have a competent veteran backup in David Quessenberry, and they will have a few extra days to prepare for their Week 9 matchup against the Colts. But make no mistake: Darrisaw is one of the top left tackles in the NFL, someone worth every cent of the five-year, $140 million contract extension he signed last week, and it would be a huge loss if he misses any extended time.

Biggest hole in the game plan: The Vikings couldn’t find a way to reach Stafford for most of the game.

They applied pressure on just three of 34 dropbacks. And even then, he completed a pass against all three of those pressures, including a seven-yard touchdown pass to Kupp in the second quarter in which he eluded defensive tackle Harrison Phillips and linebacker Jonathan Greenard.

Pass rush has been the key to the Vikings’ strong start this season, and before Thursday they had posted a pressure rate of at least 24.6% in every game.

Next game: vs. Colts (8:20 PM ET, Sunday, November 3)