Rookie stud Anthony Richardson could return in Week 4 after sitting out against Ravens
The Los Angeles Rams hit the road for the third time in four weeks to play the Indianapolis Colts, with the Rams opening up as 1.5-point underdogs according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Both teams are meeting for the first time since Week 2 of the 2021 campaign.
In Week 3, LA played the Bengals in a rematch of Super Bowl LVI with Cincy getting a little revenge. Quarterback Matthew Stafford had his worst game of the season as he threw two interceptions, both to Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson. Stafford was also sacked six times on the night after only being taken down once in the first two games. Offensively, the Rams struggled all night, not scoring a touchdown until a little over a minute left. Tutu Atwell had a score overturned early in the game but finally got into the end zone to cut Cincy’s lead to three.
.@tutuatwell finds the endzone for 6️⃣!
@ESPNNFL pic.twitter.com/aPDRG62vk3
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 26, 2023
LA held the Bengals’ explosive offense to just 309 total yards. Ja’Marr Chase tortured the Rams secondary all night long to the tune of 12 receptions for 141 yards. Aaron Donald had a brutal sack of Burrow about halfway through the second quarter. Safe to assume AD is back after missing six games last season. The top defensive highlight came from Ahkello Witherspoon who snagged an impressive one-handed pick that will surely top Sportscenter’s top-10 plays.
AHKELLO WITHERSPOON SAID GIMME THAT! #SCtop10
: ESPN pic.twitter.com/QlJhEapNfy
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 26, 2023
Indianapolis was without rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson against the Ravens but the offense didn’t appear to miss a beat. Backup Gardner Minshew performed well in the win, aside from pulling a Dan Orlovsky and stepping out of his own end zone. Minshew threw a touchdown pass to running back Zack Moss who put the Colts on his back in Week 3. Moss carried the ball 30 times for 122 yards and a touchdown while adding two receptions for 23 yards and a score. Production from the fourth-year back has Indy fans forgetting about Jonathan Taylor for the time being.
Zack Moss in 2 games as the Colts’ starting RB this year:
48 carries for 210 yards (4.37 ypc) with 1 TD. 6 catches for 42 yards with 1 TD
In 6 games as the starter dating back to last year:
117 carries for 544 yards (4.64 ypc) with 2 TDs. 10 catches for 54 yards with 1 TD
— Zach Hicks (@ZachHicks2) September 25, 2023
On the defensive side, the Colts are tied for second in the NFL in sacks. Their D-line will be a major test for LA’s revamped offensive line. The Colts are led by underrated veteran linebacker Zaire Franklin who led Indianapolis with 15 total tackles and a sack against the Ravens. Franklin has led the league in tackles through the first three weeks of the season and is on pace to break the NFL record.
#Colts LB Zaire Franklin through the first 3 weeks has a #NFL leading 45 total tackles.
He is on pace to record 255 total tackles.
The NFL record was set in 1993 and is 214. pic.twitter.com/VTwn1fSSDv
— Destin Adams (@TheDestinAdams) September 24, 2023
Who do you trust more this week? Will the Colts find a way to move to 3-1 and increase their early lead in the AFC South? Will Stafford and the rest of LA’s offense bounce back following a lackluster showing in Cincinnati? I expect the Rams to continue being competitive as they have all season long. Aaron Donald and company will be too much to handle for Richardson or whoever starts at QB for Indy.
My pick is for the Rams to go under the spread and win a tougher than expected matchup on the road over a surprising Colts team. Who are you betting on in Week 4? Let’s discuss in the comments!