Rams WR Puka Nacua was sent off for hitting Seahawks LB Tyrel Dodson

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua was ejected Sunday for striking Seattle Seahawks linebacker Tyrel Dodson.

The blow came when the Seahawks had a 6-3 lead late in the second quarter. Matthew Stafford targeted Nacua on a downfield pass on first-and-10 from the Los Angeles 44-yard line.

Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen intercepted the ball at the Seattle 25-yard line and fell to the ground due to contact. Woolen tried to hit the ball back, apparently not realizing it was on the ground.

Dodson tackled Nacua to block him as Woolen ran with the ball. Nacua, apparently realizing the game was over and frustrated by the turnover, punched Dodson into the side of Dodson’s helmet with his right fist.

The officers saw the punch and reported Nakua for unnecessary roughness. They threw him out of the game, but Nakua didn’t leave the field immediately. He sat on the bench for a few moments before finally jogging into the locker room 17 seconds before halftime and being booed by the home Seattle crowd.

The turnover and penalty brought Seattle the ball to its own 40-yard line with 27 seconds left in the half. The Seahawks responded with a three-play, 60-yard drive that ended with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Geno Smith to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, extending their lead to 13-3 before halftime.

For Nakua, the incident adds to a difficult season for the second-year wide receiver, who broke out with a Pro Bowl season as a rookie. Nakua suffered a PCL injury in the Rams’ season opener and missed the next five games.

He returned in Week 8 and had seven catches for 106 yards in a 30-20 win over the Minnesota Vikings. In doing so, he showcased the upside he showed as a rookie that made him a prime target in fantasy football. But he left Sunday’s game with just one catch for 11 yards and his Rams trailed the NFC West rival Seahawks.