Rams at Colts Week 2 Preview: 3 Storylines to Follow

After a dominant Week 1 performance against the Chicago Bears, the Los Angeles Rams face off against the Indianapolis Colts on the road in Week 2. Check out 3 storylines to watch out for before Sunday's matchup.

MJ Hurley | Sep 16, 2021

After a dominant Week 1 performance against the Chicago Bears, the Los Angeles Rams face off against the Indianapolis Colts on the road in Week 2. Quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Rams offense looked incredible in their debut showing. Defensively, cornerback Jalen Ramsey flew around the field and defensive tackle Aaron Donald dominated inside as usual. Against a Colts team that struggled Week 1, coach Sean McVay will look to capitalize and continue the Rams' excellence.

Here are three storylines to watch as the Rams and Colts make their final preparations leading up to Sunday's contest:

1. Will Matthew Stafford repeat his NFC Offensive Player of the Week performance?

Stafford was marvelous against the Bears last week. His 321 yards passing and three touchdown passes earned him NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Stafford looked completely comfortable in one of the more complex offenses the NFL has to offer. Wide receivers Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods and DeSean Jackson all caused matchup nightmares all across the field, and even tight ends Tyler Higbee impressed more than expected. With a smooth sailing first week in L.A. it will be important to see if Stafford can continue playing at an MVP level.

2. Will Jalen Ramsey continue in the “Star” position?

Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris hit a homerun against the Bears. The long-awaited star position was filled by the biggest star on the Rams. Ramsey flew around the field and truly wreaked havoc against Chicago. The Colts meanwhile, have more offensive weapons to play around with than the Bears do. With running back Jonathan Taylor totaling over 100 all-purpose yards last week, Ramsey will need to follow Taylor and make sure that the Colts running game does not win them the football game. Ramsey's impact in the run game playing the star position will be one to monitor.

3. Is Cooper Kupp WR1?

Kupp received 10 of 26 targets from Stafford on Sunday night. With 7 receptions, 108 yards and one touchdown, Kupp was clearly WR1 in the season opener. Woods was clearly a focus of the game plan and a main red zone target. However, Kupp’s ability to play in and out of the slot allowed him to vacate from cornerback Jaylon Johnson and sit down easily in the Bears' zones. Given the relationship Stafford and Kupp have, it appears that Kupp will be the main target. Even so, having Woods, Jackson and Higbee behind Kupp is a luxury of pass-catchers for Stafford and McVay to utilize. If L.A. wants to win, Kupp needs to continue to dominate.

Season Records: Rams (1-0), Colts (0-1)

Previous Meeting: The Rams beat the Colts 46-9 in their last meeting. Indianapolis leads the all-time series with a record of 23-20-2.

Odds: Rams -3.5

Stat: McVay earned his first head coaching victory over the Colts in 2017.

Keep An Eye On: How the Rams' rushing attack fares in Week 2 after an underwhelming performance in the season opener.

Rams' Key To Victory: Own the line of scrimmage. Sunday will be a battle between the offense and defensive line.

Date/Time: Sunday, September 19, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. PT

Location: Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis, Indiana)

TV: FOX

Streaming: FuboTV

Radio: 93.1 JACK FM

Quotable: "Overall, I want to see us be better on the third downs," McVay said.

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Published Sep 16, 2021

MJ HURLEY

MJ Hurley is a writer, podcast host and credentialed NFL reporter.