Colts at Rams: What to watch for

INDIANAPOLIS - Areas of interest in the Indianapolis Colts' Sunday meeting with the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA.




Kickoff: 4:05 p.m.




Broadcast: FOX59.




Spread: Rams by 3½.

History lesson, Part I: 

The Colts lead the overall series 23-21-2, but the Rams have won the last four. The most recent was in week 4 of the 2023 season. The Rams bolted to a 23-0 third-quarter lead at Lucas Oil Stadium before rookie Anthony Richardson Sr. sparked the Colts to 23 unanswered points. Richardson forced overtime with a 5-yard TD pass to Drew Ogletree and a two-point conversion pass to Michael Pittman Jr. with 1:56 remaining.




The Rams won the coin flip to start OT and drove to Matthew Stafford's 22-yard TD pass to Puka Nacua.

History lesson, Part II: 

The Colts are looking to start a season 4-0 for the first time since 2009 and just the seventh time in their Indy era. They've reached the playoffs in each of the previous six 3-0 starts.




The only quarterbacks to lead the Colts to at least 4-0 starts since 1984: Peyton Manning (five times) and Jim Harbaugh (1996).




Daniel Jones has led a team to four consecutive wins only once in his 73-game career: weeks 4-7 of 2022, when he would lead the New York Giants to a playoff berth.

Limit Stafford & Co.: 

Injuries inevitably impact games and being without Kenny Moore II (Achilles) concerns us. It's hard enough to deal with Matthew Stafford when the defense is at full strength. Now, either Mekhi Blackmon or Mike Hilton, who's been with the team for less than a week, must fill Moore's void as the nickel.




Stafford continues to build a Hall of Fame-caliber career - 60,548 yards, 382 touchdowns - and that includes making decisive reads and getting rid of the football to the proper target. And he has several top-level targets: Puka Nacua, who leads the league with 29 receptions and 333 yards, Davante Adams, who's dealing with a hamstring injury, tight end Tyler Higbee and running back Kyren Williams.




There's a good chance defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has Charvarius Ward shadow Nacua most of the day, so corners Xavien Howard, Blackmon, Hilton and perhaps rookie Johnathan Edwards, and safeties Cam Bynum and Nick Cross must hold up against the rest.




One area of Anarumo's defense must step up. And that would be exerting pressure from the edge. The Colts have 7 sacks and 13 QB hits, but 2024 first-round pick Laiatu Latu has more interceptions (one) than sacks. He has also been credited with zero QB hits.

Stay efficient: 

The productivity and efficiency of Jones and the offense have been impressive. The challenge: Keep it up at SoFi.




As we've mentioned in the past, Shane Steichen isn't asking Jones to carry the load. He's simply demanding he do his job, and that's what Jones has done. He's completing 71.6% of his passes, averaging a league-best 9.3 yards per attempt and has yet to turn the ball over. In fact, the Colts, Buffalo and Tampa Bay are the only teams without a turnover in three games. The Colts' franchise record for consecutive games without a turnover is four.




Jones is doing an expert job of maximizing his options in the passing game - most notably Michael Pittman Jr. and rookie tight end Tyler Warren - and maximizing Jonathan Taylor, the league's leading rusher.




The Rams are the only team in the league ranking top-5 in offense and defense, and that defense is fueled by its front seven. The catalysts are outside linebackers Byron Young (4 sacks, five QB hits and six tackles for loss) and 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse (1 sacks, 4 QB hits, two tackles for loss).




The Rams are tied for the league lead with 12 sacks - they had 4 last week against the Eagles and 5 in week 2 against the Titans - and are allowing opposing QBs to complete just 64.6% of their passes and 5.8 yards per attempt.




Jones' protection will be altered against the Rams as Dalton Tucker replaces right guard Matt Goncalves (toe).




And as for Jones' supporting cast, he'll be without Alec Pierce (concussion). That should open the door for more opportunities for AD Mitchell.

Continue to lean on JT: 

One of the best ways to slow a vibrant pass rush is a quick-passing game and a reliable run game. Taylor has been beyond reliable.

His 338 yards are the most in the first three games of a season for a franchise whose history includes Hall of Famers Edgerrin James, Marshall Faulk, Eric Dickerson and Lenny Moore. Taylor is the NFL's busiest back - 60 rushes - and is averaging 5.8 yards per attempt.




He's also in the midst of one of the best eight-game stretches of his career. During that span, he's averaging 25.2 carries, 132.6 yards and 5.3 yards per attempt with 9 rushing TDs.




The Rams defense ranks No. 5 in yards allowed (268.3) and No. 13 against the run (103.0). It's allowing just 3.9 yards per attempt.

And the winner is: Rams 27, Colts 23. 

First, it won't surprise us one bit if the Colts find a way to pull the road upset. They're playing at that level, and their game is conducive to having success on the road. You know, like last week in Nashville. But we're concerned with the absence of Moore. He keeps things together on the back end of Anarumo's defense, and that task at nickel now falls on either Blackmon or Hilton. Stafford remains one of the NFL's premier QBs at 37 and he's got plenty of help.




We're just not confident the Jones-led offense can keep up.




You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.





via: https://fox59.com/sports/colts-at-rams-what-to-watch-for/