Rams at Indianapolis Colts: Who has the edge?

RAMS (1-0) vs. COLTS (0-1)

When: Sunday, 10 a.m.

Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis

TV/Radio: Ch. 11, 710 AM, 93.1 FM, 1330 AM (Spanish)

Line: Rams by 3½

Notable wounded designations: Rams: Everybody is listed arsenic bully to go, though NT Sebastian Joseph-Day (knee) missed each oregon portion of signifier until Friday. Colts: RT Braden Smith (foot) and CB Xavier Rhodes (calf) are out; WR Michael Pittman (ankle), WR Parris Campbell (abdomen), LG Quenton Nelson (foot, back), DE Kwity Paye (hamstring) and FS Julian Blackmon (back) are among those listed arsenic questionable.

What’s astatine stake? The Rams effort to corroborate the connection they made erstwhile they thumped the Chicago Bears with big-play discourtesy and defence past Sunday. This crippled is connected the roadworthy and against, probably, a tougher opponent. A triumph is needed to support up successful the NFC West, wherever each 4 teams started 1-0 and are favored again.

Who’s better? The Rams. After the season-opening win, their likelihood of winning the Super Bowl shortened from 16-1 to 12-1 (at BetOnline), tied with the San Francisco 49ers for 3rd favorites down the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But the Colts were a playoff squad successful 2020 and could beryllium stronger than their Week 1 nonaccomplishment to the Seattle Seahawks suggested.

Matchup to watch: Rams DT Aaron Donald vs. LG Quenton Nelson. Donald has astatine slightest 1 sack against each squad but the Colts, chiefly due to the fact that helium has ne'er faced them; helium was conscionable ending a holdout erstwhile the teams met successful 2017. Nelson is simply a three-time All-Pro, drafted sixth wide retired of Notre Dame.

Rams triumph if …: If backmost Matthew Stafford gets the extortion and unfastened receivers helium did successful his NFC Offensive Player of the Week show against the Bears. If Darrell Henderson, and possibly an accrued relation for Sony Michel, nutrient a bully crushed crippled against 1 of the toughest teams to tally connected past season. If the Rams unit the Colts retired of the ball-control discourtesy that depends connected moving backs Jonathan Taylor (1,169 yards rushing past season) and Nyheim Hines (482 yards connected 63 receptions).

Fantasy pick: We won’t interruption immoderate caller crushed here. You can’t spell incorrect pursuing Stafford’s blistery manus this week vs. the Colts and adjacent week vs. the Buccaneers, 2 teams helium has had occurrence against successful the past.

Prediction: Rams 26, Colts 23. The Rams travel disconnected a 20-point triumph arsenic eight-point favorites implicit the Bears and indispensable close a 2020 inclination that saw them travel large wins with letdowns. They went 1-4, some connected the scoreboard and against the constituent spread, the week aft a crippled successful which they bushed the dispersed by 10 oregon more.