Matthew Stafford leads heroic OT drive after Rams blow 23-point lead to Colts
INDIANAPOLIS — Matthew Stafford placed his right foot gingerly on a step up to the podium and winced through a smile. He did the same on the way down.
A few minutes earlier, the Rams’ veteran quarterback had completed the latest chapter in his streak of dramatic victories at Lucas Oil Stadium.
And it was all the more impressive because he did it Sunday with a bum right hip.
Stafford’s touchdown pass to rookie Puca Nacua in overtime gave the Rams a 29-23 victory over the Indianapolis Colts and marked the third time in as many games at the venue that Stafford worked his magic.
Rams win in overtime on Puka Nacua’s first NFL touchdown catch
🏈 Rams 29, Colts 23 — FINAL
Matthew Stafford connected on a 22-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua — his first NFL touchdown — to lift the Rams to a stunning victory over the Colts.
Nacua caught a 20-yard pass on the first play of overtime to jump-start the eight-play, 75-yard winning drive. He finished with nine catches for 163 yards and has an NFL record 39 receptions over his first four games.
Stafford shook off a leg injury to spearhead the Rams’ overtime surge. In addition to his passes to Nacua, he completed passes of 13 and five yards to Kyren Williams. The veteran quarterback completed 27 of 40 passes for 319 yards. He also threw an interception.
Williams had two touchdowns and 103 yards in 25 carries. Ronnie Rivers had 47 yards in nine carries.
Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson completed 11 of 25 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns. Zack Moss rushed for 70 yards in 18 carries.
The Rams led 23-0 with 5:30 left in the third quarter when the Colts scored three consecutive touchdowns and converted on a pair of two-point conversion attempts to force overtime.
Rams and Colts tied 23-23 as game heads into overtime
🏈 Rams 23, Colts 23 — END OF REGULATION
The game is heading into overtime after Matthew Stafford and the Rams struggled to move the ball on their final two possessions of the fourth quarter.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford, who continues to slightly favor his right leg after taking a hit earlier in the half, managed to scramble eight yards, but the Rams opted to punt on fourth-and-two from their 47-yard line in the final seconds of regulation.
On the ensuing possession coming off the Colts’ game-tying touchdown and two-point conversion, the Rams went three-and-out, with a pair of pass completions being reversed upon video review. Indianapolis, however, couldn’t maintain its momentum on offense, with tight coverage from the Rams’ secondary thwarting Anthony Richardson’s ability to connect with his receivers.
The Rams won the overtime coin flip and will receive first.
Colts tie game on a touchdown and successful two-point conversion
Rams 23, Colts 23 — 1:56 left in the fourth quarter
The Rams’ second-half meltdown continues.
Drew Ogletree caught his first NFL touchdown pass on a short four-yard dart from quarterback Anthony Richardson before the Colts converted on a two-point conversion attempt off a pass to Michael Pittman Jr.
Richardson set up the touchdown by connecting with tight end Kylen Granson on a 14-yard pass to convert and fourth-and-four.
The Rams led 23-0 with 5:30 left in the third quarter. It has been nearly three years since the Colts have managed to come back from a 20-point deficit.
Matthew Stafford limping heavily on fourth-quarter drive
🏈 Rams 23, Colts 15 — 7:30 left in the fourth quarter
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford was limping heavily, favoring his right leg after taking a hit on the ensuing possession after the Anthony Richardson touchdown.
Stafford stayed in the game, but the Rams went nowhere after three consecutive handoffs to Kyren Williams didn’t result in a first down. As Stafford hobbled off the field, backup quarterback Brett Rypien continued to throw warmup passes on the side.
The Rams need a stop on defense to keep their lead.
Rams 23, Colts 15 with 11:45 left in the fourth quarter
🏈 Rams 23, Colts 15 — 11:45 left in the fourth quarter
Anthony Richardson scored on a one-yard run to keep the Colts within striking distance.
The Colts got their opportunity after Brett Maher missed a 48-yard field-goal attempt.
Richardson completed a 38-yard pass to receiver Alec Pierce, and safety Russ Yeast was penalized for a late hit, moving the ball to the Rams’ 19-yard line.
Richardson completed a pass to Michael Pittman Jr. to the four, and Richardson scored three plays later.
Richardson has completed seven of 17 passes for 135 yards. He has rushed for 57 yards and a touchdown in nine carries.
Colts finally find the end zone in the third quarter
🏈 Rams 23, Colts 8 — 5:26 left in the third quarter
Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson connected with tight end Mo Alie-Cox for a 35-yard touchdown, and Richardson found running back Zack Moss for a two-point conversion pass to pull the Colts to within 16 points.
Richardson, the No. 4 pick in the draft, has completed five of 10 passes for 82 yards and a touchdown. He has rushed for 56 yards in eight carries and lost a fumble.
Moss has rushed for 50 yards in nine carries.
Rams extend lead on another Brett Maher field goal
🏈 Rams 23, Colts 0 — 7:17 left in the third quarter
Brett Maher bounced back from his miss at the end of the first half and kicked a 51-yard field goal to increase the Rams’ lead.
It was Maher’s third field goal of the game.
Matthew Stafford’s 17-yard pass to rookie receiver Puka Nacua was the key play in the drive.
Stafford has completed 16 of 21 passes for 211 yards.
Nacua has six catches for 115 yards, the third time in four games that he eclipsed 100 yards receiving.
Rams hold a 20-0 lead over the Colts at halftime
🏈 Rams 20, Colts 0 — HALFTIME
Kyren Williams rushed for two touchdowns and Brett Maher kicked two field goals while the Rams defense forced a turnover and shut out the Colts.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford completed 14 of 18 passes for 185 yards. Rookie receiver Puka Nacua has five catches for 98 yards.
Williams has rushed for 76 yards in 17 carries. Both touchdowns came on three-yard runs.
Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, who sat out the last game because of a concussion, has completed four of seven passes for 47 yards. He has rushed for 56 yards in eight carries and lost a fumble.
The Colts had a chance to score with 1 minute 45 seconds left, but kicker Matt Gay missed a 47-yard field goal attempt. Last Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, Gay kicked five field goals, including a record four from beyond 50 yards.
Maher missed a 46-yard attempt as time expired.
Brett Maher’s 54-yard field goal extends Rams’ lead
🏈 Rams 20, Colts 0 — 5:48 left in the second quarter
The Rams have scored on all four possessions.
Brett Maher’s 54-yard field goal capped a 10-play possession that began at the Rams’ 14-yard line.
Matthew Stafford’s 32-yard pass to rookie receiver Puka Nacua was the key play in a drive that stalled at the Colts’ 29 when Stafford was sacked on third down.
Stafford has completed 12 of 16 passes for 179 yards. Nacua has four catches for 91 yards.
Running back Kyren Williams has rushed for 47 yards in 14 carries.
Rams tack on a field goal after Ahkello Witherspoon fumble recovery
🏈 Rams 17, Colts 0 — 12:52 left in the second quarter
A fumble by quarterback Anthony Richardson helped the Rams set up a 40-yard field goal by Brett Maher to extend their lead.
With 2 minutes 32 seconds left in the first quarter, Rams safety Jordan Fuller forced Richardson to fumble, and cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon recovered the ball.
Matthew Stafford’s 33-yard pass to tight end Tyler Higbee moved the Rams to the Colts’ 15-yard line.
But on the next play a penalty against center Coleman Shelton for an illegal block in the back pushed the Rams back to the 25.
After three running plays gained three yards, Maher came on for the field goal.
Rams extend lead on another Kyren Williams touchdown
🏈 Rams 14, Colts 0 — 3:40 left in first quarter
Matthew Stafford’s fourth-down pass to Van Jefferson keyed a 10-play, 94-yard drive that culminated with Kyren Williams’ second short touchdown run.
The Colts once again assisted the Rams when cornerback Kenny Moore II was penalized for a late hit on Rams receiver Puka Nacua, turning a 26-yard gain into a 41-yard gain.
The Rams had a fourth-and-three at the Colts 32-yard line when coach Sean McVay opted to go for it. Stafford dropped back and threw a perfectly placed pass to Jefferson, who made a tough catch for a 16-yard gain.
Stafford has completed seven of 10 passes for 100 yards.
Nacua has three catches for 59 yards.
Williams has rushed for 33 yards and two touchdowns in eight carries.
Rams take early lead on Kyren Williams touchdown
🏈 Rams 7, Colts 0 — 11:35 left in the first quarter
The Rams owe Colts linebacker E.J. Speed a thank you.
Speed’s late hit on Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford after a third-down scramble that was short of the first down kept alive a drive that ended with Kyren Williams’ three-yard touchdown run.
Stafford completed three of five passes during the nine-play, 75-yard drive, including two passes for 33 yards to rookie receiver Puka Nacua.
Rams roundtable: Defense has defied preseason expectations. Why?
Before the season, many predicted the Rams’ defense might be one of the worst in the NFL. That has not been the case. What has worked better than expected?
Gary Klein: The secondary has played better than expected. Remember, before training camp Pro Football Focus ranked it the worst in the league. Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase had a big night but there have not been any consistent breakdowns that have resulted in long touchdown plays. The Rams still need more pressure on quarterbacks.
Sam Farmer: Really, predictions haven’t meant much this year. It’s so hard to forecast how good a team or unit might be based on the preseason, when starters don’t even see the field. What’s more, three games is too small a sample size to truly determine how good a defense is. But Aaron Donald is disruptive enough to cause any opponents to change what they do, even when he doesn’t put up big numbers in a game.
Rams offensive line will look different vs. Colts
The Rams offensive line is going through a change.
Left tackle Alaric Jackson, who suffered a thigh injury during Monday’s defeat by the Cincinnati Bengals, is inactive, meaning Joe Noteboom will start at left tackle and Kevin Dotson will start at right guard.
Noteboom was drafted and then given an extension to be the successor to Andrew Whitworth at left tackle.
But coaches decided to go with Jackson at left tackle instead of the often-injured Noteboom, who played the first three games at right guard.
Dotson was acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He will be active for the first time against the Colts.
Zach Thomas, who replaced Jackson against the Bengals, is also inactive, along with rookie running back Zach Evans and defensive lineman Earnest Jones IV.
King of comebacks, Matthew Stafford, needs to get Rams rolling again against Colts
During his 14-plus seasons in the NFL, Matthew Stafford has played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis only twice.
But he feels comfortable there: Stafford engineered dramatic comeback victories over the Colts in each of his visits.
“Obviously, a fun stadium to play in,” he said this week.
On Sunday, the Rams (1-2) need a win — come-from-behind or otherwise — when they play the Colts (2-1). A victory elevates the Rams to a respectable .500. A loss tilts them toward irrelevance at 1-3.
The Rams have lost two games in a row, including a 19-16 defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night.
Is SoFi Stadium dangerous for fans? A study indicates many other NFL venues are worse
SoFi Stadium is one of the safer NFL venues both inside and in the surrounding neighborhoods, a conclusion drawn from a study of crime statistics and a poll of more than 3,000 fans by Sportsbook Review.
Crimes in and around stadiums occur all too often, however. In the study, 39.2% of respondents reported having witnessed or fallen victim to at least one crime in or outside stadiums.
Although 17 fans — 5.4% — reported witnessing a crime at SoFi Stadium, only one of those polled said they had been a victim of a crime while attending a Rams or Chargers home game.
The neighborhood around SoFi has less crime than areas around 21 of the other 29 NFL stadiums, according to the study. There were 6.19 violent crimes and 25.81 property crimes per 1,000 residents near SoFi in 2021 or a total of 32 crimes per 1,000 residents, according to FBI data.
Updated plans for Rams’ Cooper Kupp: He will start practicing to return ... when?
Star receiver Cooper Kupp’s possible return from injured reserve will begin next week when the 2021 NFL offensive player of the year begins practicing, Rams coach Sean McVay said Friday.
Kupp, 30, suffered a hamstring injury during training camp. By going on injured reserve, he was mandated to sit out four games.
The Rams (1-2) play the Indianapolis Colts (2-1) on Sunday in Indianapolis.
Kupp is eligible to return for the Oct. 8 game against the Philadelphia Eagles but McVay said this week he would not “pigeonhole” himself to committing to that as the definitive return date.
Rams vs. Colts matchups: How to watch, start time and prediction
Breaking down how the Rams and the Indianapolis Colts match up heading into their game Sunday at 10 a.m. PDT at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The game will be shown on Fox.
When Rams have the ball
The Rams will attempt to get back into a more-balanced attack against the Indianapolis Colts. In their 19-16 defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Rams ran the ball 13 times and passed it 33 times. Quarterback Matthew Stafford was sacked six times, a situation that could get worse if left tackle Alaric Jackson cannot return from a thigh injury.