Los Angeles Rams vs. Indianapolis Colts Point Spread Pick

Los Angeles Rams (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) vs. Indianapolis Colts (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS)

Week 2 NFL

Date/Time: Sunday, September 19, 2021 at 1PM EDT

Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

TV: Fox

Point Spread: LAR -4/IND +4 (Betanysports – Lay -105 on games here, not the more expensive -110 option your bookie is socking you! It’s better than ANY bonus you can get!)

Over/Under Total: 47.5

The Los Angeles Rams come to Lucas Oil Stadium for a week two showdown with the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. The Rams had a great debut on Sunday Night Football with a new face behind center in Matthew Stafford, scoring a nice 34-14 win over the Bears at home. The offense looked crisp, while the “D” hadn’t appeared to take a step backward. They come into the somewhat foreign territory of Indy to face a Colts team that came up short in week one loss at home to the Seahawks, 28-16. They get another tough one at home this week as they try to get the offense to turn over under new QB Carson Wentz. Let’s get into it!

The Tale of Two Different New Quarterbacks

The Rams have a healthy Matthew Stafford, who showed what he could do with a team when he’s getting some support. On the other sideline is the waning force of Carson Wentz, trying to revive his career with a bit of a stripped cast of contributors while also recovering from an offseason injury. What happened in week one isn’t necessarily the script that will play out all season, but the Rams look to have their man, while the Colts are still in the midst of an ongoing QB carousel that might have been squared away just yet.

Tough Spot for the Colts

For a QB getting his feet wet with a new system and coming off an injury, this Rams’ defense would appear to be one of the last ones you want to face. The Colts have a good run-game, but it’s questionable how well that will resonate against this bunch. We saw both of their leading receivers on Sunday were running backs, attesting to the relative lack of power they have in their ball-catching corps. It’s not a cast bursting at the seams with a lot of contributors upon which you can rely. And after seeing Wilson pick them apart at times, while the Seattle run-game made some big plays, this defense could be against it against the Rams. Watching Matthew Stafford take it to a good Bears’ defense should make Indy supporters rightfully concerned.

Indy Still Has Hope

There are definite matchup concerns here, but Indy has some things going for them. Their offensive line has a lot of juice. Their D-line isn’t as fearsome or stout as the Rams is, but the gap between their respective defensive units is exceeded by the edge the Colts have on their O-line. While Wentz is a bit strapped from a weapons standpoint, he has the chance to make things happen with that line and the contributions of versatile backs like Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines. Their defensive power didn’t stand out against Seattle, but they were still vaguely respectable in allowing 28 points to an in-tune Seattle offense, while their own offense offered precious little support. And while the 16-point output in a home week one game didn’t reflect well, Wentz’ numbers weren’t so bad at 25-for 38 with 251 yards and two scores with no picks. And showing a nice chemistry with Zach Pascal, who caught two TD passes, could pay off down the road.

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Week One Fallacies

First impressions can be misleading. It’s the only impression we have. But maybe week one painted both teams in a light that doesn’t carry a lot of water. Sure, we figured the Rams would be good, while the Colts had a lot of question marks. So perhaps week one confirmed that to some extent. But for the Rams, beating up on a Bears team with no offense and a “D” that has been downward trending for a few years isn’t much of a revelation. And now, coming into Indy and a stadium, many Rams’ players, have never seen against a team with more assets at their disposal, we could see a different light put on things. With Indy’s good coaching, Wentz having gotten his feet wet, and this being an urgent spot, maybe they can come up with better. Starting the season by losing two straight at home would constitute a really rough start to the season, so I look for a little push this week.

Will the Rams’ Offense Be Too Much

The Rams’ offensive performance on Sunday night was reminiscent of what we saw when they went to the Super Bowl a few years ago. Sean McVay looks to see his playmaking and offensive vision take full hold once again this year. And with Stafford’s arm, he has just to tool to do it. It allows them to expose the full range of power and versatility of their pass-catchers. On Sunday, we saw Stafford flipping it to guys like Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods, TE Tyler Higbee, Van Jefferson, and DeSean Jackson. This part of their game should get better over time and will really put the Indy pass defense to the test. It’s especially jarring when you look at the other sideline and their lack of aerial options. It’s asking Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines to cover a pretty big gap.

Lay the Points

It’s one of those tricky kind of road spots where we could see a flatter Rams’ team than what is forecasted. But this early in the season, I see Sunday’s win putting some wind in their sails as they come into Indy. I picture an energetic performance that, sooner or later, will have the Colts struggling to keep their nose above water. I see the Colts staying in the game a little, with the Rams establishing some late separation and covering the spread. I’ll take the Rams.

Loot’s Prediction to Cover the Point Spread: I’m betting on the Los Angeles Rams minus 4 points. Hey! Don’t forget that we also offer free weekly college football picks!