INGLEWOOD — Team introductions had a different kind of energy ahead of the Rams’ game against the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night.

Puka Nacua, making a surprise return after missing five games, was all smiles as he ran onto the field, ready to play football again. He was followed by Cooper Kupp, typically stoic as he prepared to play for the first time since Week 2, but greeted with a little extra enthusiasm by an angsty fan base in the wake of trade rumors surrounding the former Super Bowl MVP. And then finally Matthew Stafford, pounding his chest and leaping in the air as he took the field behind his two favorite targets.

And, for a night at least, everything was right with the Rams offense. The screen game to Nacua, in full effect. Running lanes for Kyren Williams, open. A first-quarter touchdown scored for the first time this season. Kupp in motion, pulling defenses in different directions. Four touchdown passes, thrown by Stafford after three in the first six games.

That was what the Rams needed to overcome one of the NFL’s top defenses, beating the Vikings, 30-20.

In their returns to the field, Nacua finished with seven catches for 106 yards while Kupp added five for 51. And, left for dead after five weeks, the Rams improved to 3-4 with two wins in five days, putting them one game out of the NFC West lead.

“I believe in this group,” head coach Sean McVay said. “I saw a resolve; I didn’t see a flinch. We still have a long way to go ... and we’ve done a good job of getting ourselves back to where we wanted to be.”

On their first two drives of the game, the offense looked like the offense the Rams imagined when they planned for the 2024 season. Offensive linemen pulled outside to block for Nacua screens as Kupp pulled defenses in the wrong direction with motion. Williams gashed defenses that had to account for the two big-name receivers.

The Rams got some help from third-down penalties on the Vikings defense to keep drives alive. But they scored on both their first possessions. Williams was able to slip out of the backfield for a touchdown catch, while on the second drive Stafford ducked under a sack attempt to extend a play and find a sliding Kupp for a touchdown.

“Fear is a hell of a motivator,” Stafford quipped.

After the first score, the first first-quarter touchdown allowed by the Vikings (5-2) this season, Stafford took a long look at the Rams sideline before running to the end zone to celebrate.

“I thought Matthew had a look in his eye,” McVay said, “where he was going to be ready to go. And it’s like, ‘Hey, you’re coming with me.’ ”

“It is those moments,” Kupp said, “he feeds off of guys making plays and himself being a part of that. The juice of just running out through the tunnel and feeling the crowd. He feels all that stuff.”

The Rams needed that offensive fire, because the Vikings were just as in-sync on their first two possessions. The offensive line erased the Rams’ pass rush, and receiver Justin Jefferson was able to get open at will. They too scored touchdowns on their first two drives, and Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold completed his first eight passes for 97 yards.

The Rams defense began to calm down from there. Rookie Jared Verse spooked Darnold into a third-down throwaway, then bull rushed through the tight end on the first play of the next drive to sack Darnold for a 10-yard loss. The play, which Verse celebrated by doing the Vikings’ overhead “Skol” clap, set the Vikings back and led to a punt.

Meanwhile, the Rams offense stalled in its own way, with the third and fourth offensive line penalties out of six in the game. Then Stafford threw his fourth interception in four weeks to open the second half.

But the Vikings were to take advantage of the Rams’ lull with only back-to-back field goals.

That opened a window for the Rams, and they took advantage. Stafford took an end zone shot to Demarcus Robinson streaking down the field. The cornerback in coverage was called for pass interference, but it didn’t matter as Robinson came to the ground with the ball and the go-ahead touchdown.

The Rams got the ball back with 12:47 to play and a one-point lead. Stafford completee passes to Blake Corum and Hunter Long — the eighth and ninth targets to make catches on Thursday — to complete first downs.