The Los Angeles Rams did just enough to beat the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday after jumping out to a 23-0 lead, overcoming a terrible fourth quarter by beating their opponent in overtime, 29-23. Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Aaron Donald were at the center of the dramatic win, as were the Rams’ offensive linemen throughout the contest.
Pro Football Focus released its grades for every player who took the field on Sunday afternoon and it was Donald who finished with the Rams’ highest marks. Nacua was a close second, and a newcomer to the starting lineup, Kevin Dotson, had the third-best grade of any Rams player.
Here’s a look at the best and worst performers on each side of the ball among players with at least 10 snaps played.
Top 5 offense
- WR Puka Nacua: 89.1
- RG Kevin Dotson: 86.0
- RB Ronnie Rivers: 80.7
- RT Rob Havenstein: 78.8
- QB Matthew Stafford: 72.6
Aside from some stalled drives and a bad interception by Stafford in the second half, the Rams offense was pretty good against the Colts. Nacua was spectacular, catching nine passes for 163 yards and the game-winning touchdown.
Dotson was excellent at right guard, too, making his Rams debut with Alaric Jackson out at left tackle. He did allow one pressure, which was a sack, but his run-blocking grade of 89.3 was by far the best on the Rams.
Rivers graded out much better than Kyren Williams, as well, gaining 25 yards after contact on just nine carries, though Williams forced three missed tackles compared to two by Rivers.
Top 5 defense
- DT Aaron Donald: 90.3
- NT Bobby Brown III: 81.1
- CB Derion Kendrick: 78.2
- DE Jonah Williams: 70.8
- LB Ernest Jones: 65.8
Donald was unstoppable against the Colts and he even had a strip-sack taken from him because of a holding penalty by Tre Tomlinson. He had eight total pressures and one sack. Two of his four tackles went for a loss, as well.
Brown had six total tackles and two pressures in only 32 snaps played, so he made the most of his opportunities. The same goes for Williams, who had four tackles and one tackle for a loss in the win.
Kendrick was targeted twice and didn’t allow a single completion in the game, so he did a great job shutting down the left side of the field in coverage.
Jones had a team-high 10 tackles and didn’t miss any tackles, allowing only one catch on two targets.
Bottom 5 offense
- RB Kyren Williams: 60.2
- WR Tutu Atwell: 60.1
- WR Van Jefferson: 58.5
- WR Ben Skowronek: 56.1
- LT Joe Noteboom: 44.5
As you can see, Nacua didn’t get much help from his fellow wide receivers on Sunday. Atwell, Jefferson and Skowronek all had quiet days, combining for 53 total yards receiving between the three of them; Skowronek wasn’t targeted in the game.
Williams had 127 total yards on 28 touches, including 25 rushes for 103 yards, but PFF surprisingly gave him a 29.4 pass-blocking grade despite laying a few key blocks in pass protection.
Noteboom gave up a team-high four pressures at left tackle and had the second-lowest pass-blocking grade on the Rams (34.8). No other lineman graded below 60.0 in that category.
Bottom 5 defense
- CB Ahkello Witherspoon: 57.3
- DT Kobie Turner: 56.2
- OLB Byron Young: 53.1
- CB Cobie Durant: 45.9
- DT Larrell Murchison: 39.1
Witherspoon only gave up one catch on three targets, a 38-yarder to Alec Pierce where he was also called for defensive pass interference. Other than that, he played well.
Turner was blanked in the pressure department and Young had three, but Young missed one tackle and had just two total in the game.
Durant allowed a team-high three catches on four targets, giving up 43 yards in coverage. Murchison had one assisted tackle and no pressures.
Other notables
- LG Steve Avila: 68.7
- OLB Michael Hoecht: 62.6
- S Russ Yeast: 60.6
- S Jordan Fuller: 59.4
Hoecht gave up one of the biggest plays of the game, a 35-yard touchdown to Mo Alie-Cox, but he did a nice job setting the edge on one running play to the outside and he also batted a pass in the fourth quarter.
Avila only allowed one pressure, which was a sack, so it was another solid showing from the rookie.
Yeast missed two tackles and Fuller seemed to have a miscommunication on the game-tying two-point conversion.
