6 winners and 3 losers from Rams’ pulse-pounding Week 4 win over Colts

The Los Angeles Rams needed a strong showing in Week 4. It was not only vital for the team's early-season momentum, but in a fiercely competitive NFC West, the team could ill afford to fall further behind.

They were already falling behind through no fault of their own. LA's two wins came against AFC South opponents, while its lone NFC matchup — against the Eagles — ended in a loss. With no division games played and a 0-1 record in the conference, LA found itself sitting at the bottom of any NFL playoff tiebreaker scenario.

A loss to the undefeated Indianapolis Colts would’ve only sunk the team further into a pit that might’ve been too deep to climb out of. But the team needed a win — and got one — thanks to a total team effort and one of the craziest plays fans will ever see.

6 winners and 3 losers in a Rams Week 4 win over the Indianapolis Colts

Here are the Rams' most obvious losers and winners from an impressive Week 4 win:

Loser No. 3: Rams workload distribution

To some, the Horns are merely doing what it takes to win, so there is no value in concerns. But this is the same offense that prompted head coach Sean McVay to talk about redesigning his strategy. Unfortunately for fans, it's a second verse that's the same as the first. The team is getting huge efforts out of running back Kyren Williams and wide receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.

That's great, until they are burned out or injured from overuse.

After four gams, four tight ends have been targeted only 20 times. That's less than 15 percent of the passing game. Williams has been targeted 11 times. What gives?

Loser No. 2: Rams offensive rookies

There is an inevitable amount of excitement surrounding the addition of offensive weapons in the annual NFL draft. But the month of September has lapsed, and no rookie has touched the football for the offense.

Of course, there's only one football to go around. But the team has discovered synergy by sharing the rock between running backs, Williams and Blake Corum.

It'd be wise to start including tailback Jarquez Hunter and wide receiver Konata Mumpfield into the mix moving forward.

Loser No. 1: Rams offense converting 3rd & 4th downs

The Blue and Yellow offense may be rediscovering its mojo, but it is not without some hiccups. The team struggled mightily to convert on third downs (4-of-12) and fourth downs (1-of-2). If it were not an offensive uptick late in the game, those numbers may have been worse.

Right now, the team is running in the middle of the pack at converting 40.43 percent of its third downs, good enough for 14th place. But the struggles in Week 4 will plague the offense unless it improves quickly.

Winner No. 6: WR Tutu Atwell

It's tough to place an NFL wide receiver on a pedestal of honor after four games when he has been targeted twice and hauled in just two passes. Unless he is Tutu Atwell, of course. Atwell pulled through on an 88-yard touchdown reception that proved to be the game-winner, with less than two minutes on the game clock.

It was the type of play that compels fans to ask why he is not a larger part of this offense.

Winner No. 5: RB Kyren Williams

He hasn't rushed for 100 yards in a game yet, but the former Notre Dame back seemed to have livelier legs in Week 4. He put 77 rushing yards on 13 carries, and caught 3-of-4 targets for another 17 yards.

His effectiveness opened up a huge passing performance. Perhaps he didn't enjoy Corum outperforming him in Week 3, but he certainly proved why he was paid the big bucks in the offseason.

Winner No. 4: DB Kam Curl

Veteran defensive back Kam Curl is in the second year of his two-year contract, and his performance against Indy gives every indication that he would love to stick around for many more years to come. After a solid but not memorable 2024 season, Curl has exploded in 2025. He not only tied teammate Quentin Lake with nine tackles, but he also defended three passes against an explosive Colts passing attack.

Best of all, he snagged two interceptions, his second sealing the win. It was Indianapolis' quarterback Daniel Jones' first picks of 2025, and the first time defensive coordinator Chris Shula's defense managed to have a player pick off two passes in a game since his teammate Kamren Kinchens accomplished the feat in Week 9 of 2024.

Winner No. 3: WR Puka Nacua

It’s hard to find enough superlatives to describe the red-hot start to the season that wide receiver Puka Nacua is having. He’s hauled in 42-of-50 targets for 503 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing three times for 52 yards and another score. That makes him responsible for nearly 35 percent of the team’s total offense.

Great for him. Terrible planning and workload distribution by the team.

Nacua is on pace to shatter his phenomenal rookie numbers and seems to be getting better each week. He currently leads the NFL in receiving yards, with a gap of more than 100 yards over the next closest player. His streak of at least eight catches in each of the first four games has him in elite company.

But after Cooper Kupp’s historic 2021 campaign, he was never quite the same. And that does raise some concern about how hard the offense is leaning on its latest star receiver.

Winner No. 2: QB Matthew Stafford

His Week 4 performance has some fans believing that veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford isn’t getting older — he’s getting better. In a game where he needed to be at his best, he delivered. The 37-year-old completed 29-of-41 passes for 375 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. He was sacked three times and lost a fumble, but this was vintage Stafford: a 25-yard strike to Davante Adams, a 31-yarder to Puka Nacua, and the game-winning 88-yard touchdown to Tutu Atwell.

With 103 touchdown passes as a Ram, Stafford now ranks sixth in franchise history, passing the legendary Kurt Warner. And he’s not done yet.

Winner No. 1: WR Davante Adams

While veteran wide receiver Davante Adams wasn’t the most productive player on the field in Week 4, he earns the top spot on this list for two reasons. First, he scored the home team’s opening touchdown, capping off a sensational 96-yard drive that spanned 13 plays and just 2:07 before the end of the first half.

The second reason is more subtle. Adams, a newcomer to the roster this season, didn’t isolate himself. He’s been incredibly generous with his time, energy, knowledge, and experience. It’s no surprise Nacua and Atwell stepped up in the clutch, or that the secondary is showing sharper coverage this year. His presence is felt throughout the locker room.

This was the kind of win that had shades of 2021 — a little flash, a lot of grind, and a comeback that pulled victory from the jaws of defeat. This team has been impressive so far. Hopefully, the best is still to come. As always, thanks for reading.

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