Sunday’s game between the 2-1 Los Angeles Rams and the visiting 3-0 Indianapolis Colts went just about as you’d expect. It was close throughout and though the offenses took a little while to come alive, each team held a lead at some point in the game.

It was the Rams, however, who were the last team to lead. They scored the game-winning touchdown on an 88-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to Tutu Atwell, a bomb down the left side after the Colts defender fell down and Stafford didn’t miss him.

The Rams held on to win, 27-20, thanks to 462 total yards of offense, 24 first downs and three takeaways against a Colts team that had been undefeated. Here are this week’s studs and duds from the Rams’ narrow win over the Colts.

Stud: Puka Nacua

Even when everyone knows he’s getting the ball, Nacua can’t be covered. He was targeted 15 times and caught 13 passes for 170 yards in this one, once again proving to be the Rams’ most reliable source of offense. He even caught his first touchdown reception of the season, a 9-yarder that tied the game in the fourth quarter.

Nacua has firmly established himself as one of the five best receivers in the NFL, if not No. 1. He’s playing that well right now and has been for two-plus years.

Stud: Kamren Curl

Curl picked off Daniel Jones on the opening drive, giving the Rams the ball back less than three minutes into the game. He finished tied with Quentin Lake for the team lead with nine tackles, also adding a second interception on the Colts’ final possession to all but ice the game for the Rams.

Curl was all over the field as both a run defender and coverage player, breaking up three passes, including those two picks.

Stud: Kyren Williams

Williams was a key contributor in multiple phases on Sunday. Not only did he rush for 77 yards on just 13 carries, an average of 5.9 yards per rush, but he also caught three passes for 17 yards and had several blitz pickups and chips on the edge that gave Matthew Stafford time in the pocket.

He and Blake Corum both got opportunities to run and catch the ball, but it was Williams who clearly had the hot hand in this one.

Stud: Quentin Lake

Lake is off to a terrific start this season and he was once again a standout defender on Sunday. He finished tied with Kam Curl for the team high in tackles with nine, recording one tackle for a loss, as well.

He was called for pass interference on a breakup against Josh Downs but he also drew an offensive pass interference penalty on a reception by Tyler Warren. Lake is an impactful defender each and every week, rarely missing tackles and sticking close with receivers in the slot.

Stud: Matthew Stafford

It wasn’t always pretty for Stafford, who completed 29 of 41 passes, but he was clutch down the stretch when the Rams needed him to be. He was excellent on the 96-yard touchdown drive at the end of the first half and also threw an 88-yard touchdown pass to Tutu Atwell to win the game in the fourth quarter, finishing with 375 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.

It was his most yards in a game since 2020 when he was with the Lions, throwing it all over the field and spreading the ball around to nine different receivers.

Stud: Nate Landman

Landman hasn’t been racking up the tackles in the last few weeks but he was still effective in this one, recording six tackles with one pass breakup, which was a crucial diving deflection over the middle on a throw that looked destined to be completed. He helped bottle up Jonathan Taylor to a degree, holding him to 76 yards on 17 carries with a long of only 12 yards.

Stud: Jared Verse

Verse made one of the best plays of the game when he hit Daniel Jones from behind for a strip-sack, and though the Colts recovered the fumble, it still put Indianapolis in a third-and-28 situation, which led to a punt. Verse had six tackles, a sack, forced fumble and two QB hits, also playing well against the run against Taylor.

Dud: Emmanuel Forbes Jr.

Forbes had a rough outing against the Colts. He was in coverage on Adonai Mitchell’s 75-yard catch, which should’ve been a touchdown, as well as Michael Pittman Jr.’s 2-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter. The Rams don’t have any better options but Forbes will need to play better if he wants to keep his starting spot at cornerback.

Dud: Braden Fiske

It’s hard to know if Fiske is fully healthy but he wasn’t involved in the action much on Sunday. He finished with no tackles and just one QB hit on Daniel Jones as he continues to work his way back from an oblique injury suffered a few weeks ago.

Dud: Blake Corum

Corum carried it nine times for just 21 yards, an average of 2.3 yards per attempt. He was also targeted four times as a receiver and caught just two passes for minus-5 yards, dropping two of his targets on passes that could’ve been intercepted if a defender was in the area.

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This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Studs and duds from Rams’ 27-20 win over Colts

Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect 

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