Sean McVay makes his head coaching debut for the Los Angeles Rams at home in the Coliseum against the shorthanded Indianapolis Colts. Just three seasons ago these two teams were on wildly different trajectories, with the Rams perennial losers and the Colts making it all the way to the AFC Championship. They still are, at least until Andrew Luck gets back.
The Game: Indianapolis Colts at Los Angeles Rams (-4.5)
The History
These two teams are linked in a way few others are. The Rams, in 1972, were owned by Robert Irsay who just purchased the team from the estate of deceased owner Dan Reeves (no relation to the NFL coach). Carroll Rosenbloom owned the Baltimore Colts and was looking to get out of Baltimore. Instead of moving the team, Rosenbloom and Irsay literally traded franchises, with Rosenbloom taking over ownership of the Rams and Irsay taking over the Colts. Ironically, it would be Irsay who would pack up the Colts and skip Baltimore, moving to Indianapolis in 1984. Irsay’s son, Jim, still owns the team today. Rosenbloom drowned in 1979 and his team was inhareted by his wife, Georgia Frontiere. Frontiere would move the Rams out of Los Angeles to St. Louis in 1994 and she owned the team until her death in 2008.
The Colts lead the all-time series 23-19-2. They last met in November, 2013 with the Rams winning 38-8.
Indianapolis hasn’t played the Rams in Los Angeles since September, 1989. The Rams won that game 31-17.
The Rams won the first ever game between the two teams in 1950 by the honest to God score of 70-27. Los Angeles would win the next three and five of the first seven match ups with one tie. Those first four wins would be the Rams’ longest win streak over Indianapolis/Baltimore.
The Colts’ longest streak got to six games from December, 1963 to October, 1966.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
The Scott Tolzien era begins Sunday afternoon for the Colts as Andrew Luck is still not ready to play and no one can really tell us when he will be. Does that mean it’s Tolzien’s team for the duration? No. It may not be Tolzien’s team for the first half. Indianapolis traded for Jacoby Brisett and after a week of practice, the team isn’t counting on him for more than a Microsoft Surface Tablet holder.
There’s talent on this Colts team at wide receiver with T.Y. Hilton and at running back with what’s left of Frank Gore, but there are still offensive line issues, especially with starting center Ryan Kelly out, and, I can’t stress this enough, SCOTT TOLZIEN IS THE STARTING QUARTERBACK.
LOS ANGELES RAMS
If Jared Goff is going to shake off the “bust” label that is already shadowing him here in his second season, this is the game to begin the exorcism. McVay, because he’s not a moron like the previous head coach, Jeff Fisher, has brought in a slew of new, talented wide receivers and tight ends for Goff to spread the ball to and promises to use Todd Gurley to create mismatches, both in the run and passing game.
Aaron Donald ended his hold out this week, but not in time to play in this game. New defensive coordinate Wade Phillips will still have the rest of the loaded defense that Los Angeles put together and no one on Fisher’s staff, especially doofus Gregg Williams, could properly use. Phillips will take care of that problem immediately.
In Donald’s place, rookie Tanzel Smart will likely get the start after a solid preseason, but the guy that could benefit most from Phillips’ new system is outside linebacker (and former defensive end) Robert Quinn.
The Pick
If I have to write more than Scott Tolzien is starting for the Colts in this game, then I don’t know how you stumbled onto the site. I can’t say I’m an expert on search engine algorithms, but it’s safe to say you’re not a regular viewer of the sport of football. If you were looking My Little Pony Brony fanfiction, you’ve come to the wrong place. I guess that’s what you get for using Bing. Rams 31, Colts 13
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