Rams vs. Colts: NFL Week 2 betting odds, preview, and pick

The Indianapolis Colts square off against the NFC West for the second straight week, when they host the Los Angeles Rams at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

Colts fail to protect Wentz, lack cohesion on defense

In Indianapolis' home opener against Seattle in Week 1, the team got off to a less-than-inspiring start.

The defense, which ranked eighth in total yards surrendered last season, was badly exposed by Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson during the first half. The eight-time Pro Bowler reeled off three touchdown passes before halftime, including a 69-yard bomb to Tyler Lockett with less than a minute to go in the second quarter.

Indy's stop unit seemingly got its act together in the second half, as it forced a fumble of running back Chris Carson, sacked Wilson four times, and held Seattle scoreless until 6:41 in the final quarter.

On offense, the Colts' O-line made life difficult for offseason acquisition Carson Wentz. The injury-prone QB, who underwent foot surgery in August, was sacked three times and often had to scramble out of the pocket to avoid getting hit.

The former Philadelphia Eagles signal caller managed to complete 25 of his 38 passes for 251 yards and two scores, in spite of the constant pressure he faced. It wasn't enough, as Indy lost 28-16.

Left tackle Eric Fisher has yet to be cleared since tearing his Achilles last season, and guard Quenton Nelson and center Ryan Kelly missed time in training camp because of injuries.

Those issues in the trenches will be cause for concern against a Rams defense that features Pro Bowl tackle Aaron Donald.

Stafford shines in McVay's offense

The Rams enjoyed a far more encouraging debut of new quarterback Matthew Stafford, who was shipped from Detroit to Los Angeles in one of the biggest trades of the offseason.

Against the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football, Stafford showed why he was a major upgrade from Jared Goff in Sean McVay's offense.

On his second throw of the night, he launched a deep ball to Van Jefferson, who scored a touchdown on the 67-yard reception.

For the night, Stafford went 20-of-26 passing for 321 yards and three touchdowns, and threw no interceptions. His performance marked career highs in passer rating (156.1) and yards per attempt (12.3). 

On the whole, the Rams looked like a legitimate Super Bowl contender in Week 1 but have plenty of room for improvement.

The defense allowed Bears running back David Montgomery to rack up 108 yards on 16 carries, while the Rams' own rushing attack averaged just 3.2 yards per attempt.

Rams vs. Colts betting trends

• The Rams are 4-1 ATS in their last five games as a favorite
• The Rams are 4-2 ATS in their last six games against Indianapolis
• The Colts are 0-6 ATS in their last six games as a home underdog
• The Under is 11-5 in the Rams' last 16 games overall
• The Over is 5-0 in the Colts' last five games against the Rams

NFC West will beat up Indy for second straight week

With the offensive line and Pro Bowl cornerback Xavier Rhodes entering Week 2 at less than 100 percent, Indy has its back against the wall in a matchup with another electrifying NFC West opponent. 

Seattle's defensive line was ranked one of the worst heading into the 2021 season, according to Pro Football Focus, yet it was able to get after Wentz and frustrate the veteran QB.

The Rams' defensive line is a much different beast and will cause nightmares for the Colts' offense.

Indianapolis will put up a strong battle at home in an effort to dodge an 0-2 start, but this new-look Rams team is too powerful to overcome.

Score prediction: Rams 27, Colts 20

NFL Week 2 pick: Rams -4