NFL Locals: Cooper Kupp goes out with injury; River Cracraft returns to action

Injuries continue to plague Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp (Eastern Washington).

The All-Pro Kupp had one catch before exiting the Rams win over the Seattle Seahawks with an ankle injury on Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Kupp was blocking on a play when Seattle rookie Devon Witherspoon stepped on his ankle while running in to make a tackle.

Kupp limped off the field and did not return, though he came back to the sideline and considered getting back in the game.

“Don’t have an update – it’s an ankle injury – as far as the severity of it,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “He was going to try to come back and play. He was moving around at the beginning of the second half and we were hoping that he’d be able to go but it just didn’t quite feel good enough.”

Kupp almost made a significant impact in the little time he did play.

On the Rams opening drive, QB Matthew Stafford dropped back with a free play after the Seahawks jumped offsides. Kupp was running wide open toward the end zone, but Stafford missed him with an errant pass.

• Miami Dolphins wide receiver River Cracraft (Washington State) made his return to the field after going to the injured reserve with a shoulder injury on Sept. 29.

Cracraft caught two passes for 39 yards during the Dolphins’ 20-13 win over the visiting Las Vegas Raiders, though it was hard to know he played without watching the game.

Cracraft was erroneously listed as Robbie Chosen on the NFL’s official box score. Chosen was released by the Dolphins and signed to the team’s practice squad on Saturday after clearing waivers.

On the field it seems difficult to mix up the 6-foot Cracraft, who wears No. 85, with the 6-3 Chosen, who wears No. 3.

Cracraft has slotted into a third/fourth wide receiving option for the Dolphins (7-3). He has eight receptions for 126 yards and a touchdown this year.

• Safety Jalen Thompson (WSU) played his best game of the year, but it didn’t translate to a win for Arizona.

Thompson totaled eight tackles with a sack and picked off Rookie of the Year hopeful C.J. Stroud, but the visiting Cardinals lost to the upstart Houston Texans 21-16 at NRG Stadium.

Stroud had his most turnover-prone game of the season, throwing three interceptions. The Cardinals (2-9) couldn’t capitalize though, unable to come back from an 11-point deficit with the Texans (6-4) held scoreless in the second half.

• Frankie Luvu (WSU) and the Carolina Panthers seem destined to finish last in the NFL.

Luvu led the team with eight tackles during a 33-10 loss to the visiting Dallas Cowboys.

The 27-year-old Luvu is continuing a strong season that is bound to earn him a big payday when he becomes a free agent at the end of the year.

Luvu leads Carolina with 73 tackles and 31/2 sacks. If he wants to commit to the last-place Panthers (1-9) is to be determined.

Carolina won’t see the benefit of its struggles, since its potential first-overall draft pick is owned by the Chicago Bears.