The Sports Xchange
Sep 10, 2017
LOS ANGELES -- New head coach Sean McVay and quarterback Jared Goff claimed their first NFL wins, Todd Gurley rushed for a score and the Los Angeles Rams returned two interceptions for touchdowns as they thumped the Indianapolis Colts 46-9 on Sunday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
McVay, the NFL's youngest coach at age 31, won in his debut.
Goff, who went 0-7 last year after being the draft's No. 1 pick in 2016, threw for a touchdown and a career-high 306 yards by completing 21 of 29 passes.
Cornerback Trumaine Johnson and safety Lamarcus Joyner had pick-sixes for the Rams.
The Colts, playing without quarterback Andrew Luck (shoulder), were unable to keep pace with a Rams attack that looked light years from last year's struggling unit.
Indianapolis quarterback Scott Tolzien was 9 of 18 for 128 yards and two interceptions before being benched in favor of Jacoby Brissett.
Indianapolis turned the ball over twice in the first quarter to dig an early 10-0 hole. That deficit grew to 27-3 at halftime as the Rams' pass rush was too stout for the overwhelmed Colts to launch a comeback.
Greg Zuerlein added three field goals for the Rams.
Gurley, whose production slipped last year, scored from 5 yards to push the Rams ahead 17-3 early in the second quarter.
Adam Vinatieri, who started his NFL career when McVay was a 9-year-old, converted a 20-yard field goal to pull the Colts within 10-3 in the first quarter. The Colts were no closer the rest of the game.
The Rams struck quickly, producing 10 points the first two times they touched the ball.
Tolzien was under duress when he came up a short on an attempt intended for wide receiver T.Y. Hilton. Johnson, who also had a forced fumble and fumble recovery, jumped the out route and intercepted the pass for a 39-yard touchdown return and a 10-0 first-quarter lead.
Zuerlein's 50-yard field goal kicked off the scoring to cap the Rams' opening possession.
NOTES: Colts QB Andrew Luck is expected to miss at least two more weeks. Luck didn't play in the preseason. ... CB Vontae Davis (groin) and C Ryan Kelly (foot) were out for the Colts. ... Rams Pro Bowl DT Aaron Donald wasn't active after ending his holdout on Saturday. He's expected to play next week against Washington. ... Hall of Famer Kurt Warner, who directed the Rams to their lone Super Bowl win when they were in St. Louis, was honored before the game.