Rams Dominate Colts In 46-9 Win
The Rams kicked off the Sean McVay era on Sunday in a matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. They were absolutely dominant in most areas of the game. While fans should be thrilled with the teams performance, they should consider that the Colts were without Andrew Luck and feature one of the worst defenses in the NFL. Quarterback Jared Goff made the most of his dynamic new receiving corps and looked like the number one overall pick he was drafted as. The Rams defense looked sharp in their first game under Wade Phillips, forcing four turnovers. They also scored two touchdowns and recorded a safety, all without Aaron Donald. The run game struggled, with running back Todd Gurley struggling to find holes. Nonetheless, Gurley ran hard and fought his way into the end zone for a score, also catching a few passes out of the backfield.
Injury Report
Rams cornerback Kayvon Webster went down with a shoulder injury in the second quarter. He would not return to the game, but the Rams had a very significant lead. The Rams were likely very cautious given the situation of the game, more news on Webster’s status will become available early this week.
Scoring Plays
50 Yard Field Goal, Greg Zuerlein: The Rams were held up after a speedy first drive, Zuerlein split the uprights to get the Rams on the board for the first time this season.
39 Yard Interception return touchdown, Trumaine Johnson: The Rams capitalized on Andrew Luck’s absence, Johnson returned an early interception for a touchdown on the teams first defensive appearance of the season.
20 Yard Field Goal, Adam Vinatieri: Vinatieri converted a chip shot field goal after a questionable no challenge by Colts coach Chuck Pagano for a possible Colts touchdown.
5 Yard Rushing touchdown, Todd Gurley: Gurley capped a drive lead by receptions from Rams rookie wideouts Cooper Kupp and Gerald Everett with a powerful second effort touchdown run.
18 yard Passing touchdown, Jared Goff to Cooper Kupp: Jared Goff threw a pretty pass to rookie Cooper Kupp where he recorded his first NFL receiving touchdown. This finished off a drive that featured two nice catches by Rams wide receiver Sammy Watkins.
35 yard Field Goal, Greg Zuerlein: Zuerlein nailed his second field goal of the day, leading the Rams into halftime with a 27-3 lead. Todd Gurley came up just short of breaking loose on a screen pass right before the field goal attempt, tackled from behind.
44 yard Field Goal, Greg Zuerlein: Once again Zuerlein came through for the Rams, getting them to 30 points for the day. The Rams were put in field goal range by a nice grab down the sideline by wide receiver Robert Woods.
29 Yard Interception return touchdown, Lamarcus Joyner: Joyner followed Johnson’s lead, but did it even flashier. Joyner made a beautiful play on a Tolzien pass, getting turned around and then dashing to the end zone for the touchdown.
3 Yard Rushing touchdown, Marlon Mack: Mack was the lone bright spot for the Colts, having a decent day out of the backfield. He scored the lone touchdown on the day for the Colts.
Safety, Morgan Fox: After a fumbled forced by the Rams defense, Morgan Fox dove on top of Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett in the end zone for a safety. This play was a testament to the strong play of the Rams defense all day.
3 Yard Rushing touchdown, Malcolm Brown: Brown took over once the Rams decided to pull Gurley given their substantial lead. Brown capitalized, plowing his way into the end zone to cap off the Rams victory in resounding fashion.
Final score: 46-9
MVP: Jared Goff
Simply put, Goff was great. He played very well, passing for over 300 yards. The Rams could not have asked for much more from their young quarterback in his season debut. He was efficient, smart with the football, and took shots downfield when presented with the opportunity. While the Rams offensive line was not great in the run, they protected Goff quite well. He was sacked once and was hit once more, given time to throw when needed. Goff also spread the ball to many targets, completing passes to seven different receivers. The Rams do not need Goff to carry them every single game, they just need him to be efficient and smart in order to be successful. Goff displayed those qualities tonight, which is a good sign for the team going forward.
Keep an eye here on cover32.com/rams for more breakdown of the Rams explosive week one performance. That’s all for now Rams fans, enjoy the win.
– Andrew Kelly is the Managing Editor for cover32/Rams and covers the Los Angeles Rams. Like and follow on Follow @Andrew_K47 Follow @cover32_LAR
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