3 Things the Colts Offense Must Accomplish to Defeat the Rams

The Indianapolis Colts offense will have a tough matchup on Sunday as the Los Angeles Rams defense looks to silence Anthony Richardson at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Shane Steichen and the Indianapolis Colts offense have played solid, minus quarterback Anthony Richardson, over the last two games (Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens). Despite having the backup Gardner Minshew in, they’ve still notched two wins in a row and will look to continue against the strong Los Angeles Rams defense.

With Richardson on track to return, the offense will have more capabilities to open up the playbook on Sunday. With this matchup on tap, here are three goals that the Colts offense needs to strive for if they want to get a third win in a row.

#1) Run the Ball Effectively

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Running back Zack Moss has shocked the league in a way. Despite being initially a “piece” of the trade with the Buffalo Bills for Nyheim Hines, Moss has overshot expectations already.

Through two games with Minshew at QB, Moss has put together 48 rushes for 210 yards (4.4 avg) and a rushing score. In his last contest against Baltimore alone, he had 30 carries. Now that the athletic Richardson is involved, it could boost his impact while reducing the wear and tear of so much activity.

Currently, the Rams are 13th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per contest (103.7). This is the weakness of their defense, which plays right into the hand that the Colts have displayed. While it will be important to play smart in the passing game, look for Steichen to use his newly returned QB Richardson with Moss in the ground game to attack Aaron Donald and the Rams’ front.

Something to watch, however, will be the health of the Colts' offensive line, as starters Bernhard Raimann, Ryan Kelly, and Braden Smith all missed practice on Friday.

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#2) Contain Aaron Donald

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The seven-time All-Pro defensive tackle needs no introduction. Also, his accolades are too lengthy for this article. In short, Donald currently is and will go down as one of the greatest defensive players to suit up in NFL history.

Donald has a white-hot 90.4 overall defensive grade per Pro Football Focus. This is paired with an equally impressive 91.2 pass-rushing grade. Both marks are team leads for LA, and second place isn’t close.

While he can be exploited in the ground game, the Colts can’t take any play where he’s on the field for granted. There may not be a more talented defensive player that Indianapolis will face this season. Look for Steichen and Colts offensive line coach Tony Sparano Jr. to have eyes on Donald at all times.

If he’s allowed to, Donald could single-handedly destroy the Colts’ offensive game plan and make life incredibly trivial for Richardson.

#3) Alec Pierce Has to Contribute More

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Second-year receiver Alec Pierce hasn’t had the start to the 2023 season he wants. Currently, in three games, he has accumulated the following numbers:

• 6 receptions (12 targets); 76 receiving yards (12.7 avg); 0 TDs

The big draw for Richardson being QB was Pierce’s deep-threat ability. However, with Minshew being in and defenses knowing Richardson can beat them deep, Pierce has been held in check.

Currently, Pierce isn’t putting up solid grades. Per PFF, he is last for eligible receivers on the Colts in overall offense (54.5) and receiving grades (54.1). Given that the Rams have a capable secondary and a top-10 defense against the pass, Pierce will need to step up and help Richardson.

With Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs dominating target shares through the first three games, the Rams may take away those receivers for Richardson to force him to go elsewhere. This is Pierce’s opportunity to show the league he isn’t just a name on the roster.

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