Colts' O-Line Falls Apart Against Rams' Defensive Attack

The Rams’ front didn’t just win — they wrecked the game.

Pro Football Focus credited the Rams with an outstanding 90.3 pass-rush grade for the performance.

Not only was that the top pass-rush grade of Week 4, it was the second-highest of the entire season, trailing only the Cleveland Browns’ 91.1 grade in their shocking Week 3 upset of the Green Bay Packers.

One glaring hole that the Los Angeles pass-rush targeted was the absence of Colts right guard Matt Goncalves. That forced second-year backup Dalton Tucker into the lineup against one of the league’s most ferocious fronts.

In his spot start, Tucker posted a staggering 7.9 pass-blocking grade across 40 snaps. Out of a possible 100, that number is almost unfathomable — the kind of grade you rarely, if ever, see at this level.

That 7.9 pass-blocking grade was the second-lowest grade for any guard this season.

With a young backup in a spot start against one of the league’s best defensive lines, Tucker’s struggles might at least be explainable. What isn’t explainable is Colts veteran left guard Quenton Nelson’s performance.

The All-Pro guard posted a 29.1 pass-blocking grade, the second-worst mark on the team. Even worse, Nelson’s True Pass Set grade came in at 0.9 — a number so low it looks like a typo.

For context, True Pass Set filters out quick throws, play-action, and screens, leaving only straight drop-backs against a full rush. In other words, it’s the cleanest look at pure pass protection — and Nelson flatlined.

For a player who’s supposed to be the anchor of this line, the showing was nothing short of shocking. Nelson didn’t just lose a few battles; he lost them all.

With this breakdown from the Colts’ pass-blocking front in mind, Colts quarterback Daniel Jones' performance doesn’t look all that bad in hindsight.

Despite constant pressure, Jones avoided a complete collapse. The first-year Colt threw for 262 yards on a 72% clip and finished with an 80.6 passer rating.

Those numbers are respectable on their own, but when measured against the breakdown happening in front of him, they look even stronger.

Jones’ ability to stay composed and use his mobility kept the Colts in position to win despite the constant chaos.

With real protection, Indianapolis likely walks out of L.A. with the upset.

With this Colts’ pass-blocking unit grading out at 54.9 against Denver and 37.0 against L.A., it’s clear the league’s top defensive fronts are feasting on this team.

That latest 37.0 showing dropped the Colts all the way to 15th in pass-blocking grade, a nearly double-digit fall in just one week.

After such a steep drop-off, the return of Matt Goncalves will be massive for this group, giving them back stability at right guard.

The real red flag is Quenton Nelson’s collapse. If the team’s cornerstone can’t figure it out, the entire line comes into question.

Indianapolis doesn’t need its offensive line to be perfect. It just has to be reliable enough to let Daniel Jones and the offense play to their potential.

Sunday’s meltdown against the Rams doesn’t erase the O-line’s strong start, but it does raise the stakes.

The Colts are firmly in the AFC playoff hunt, and for them to stay there, their foundation up front has to bounce back — and fast.

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