Tutu Atwell was the forgotten man.
After signing a one-year, $10-million contract, the Rams diminutive receiver seemed to be virtually ignored while playing in the shadow of stars Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
Atwell went into Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts with only one target in each of the first three games.
He got only two targets against the Colts.
But the speedy Atwell made one count.
With less than two minutes left, he broke free, caught a midrange pass from Matthew Stafford and turned it into an 88-yard touchdown that gave the Rams a 27-20 victory before 71,257 at SoFi Stadium.
As he has done throughout his four-plus seasons with the Rams, Atwell stayed even keeled amid a locker room full of coaches and teammates elated for him.
“Just waiting for my number to be called,” Atwell said.
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Gary Klein breaks down what went right for the Rams in their stunning comeback win over the Indianapolis Colts at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.
Stafford also tossed touchdown passes to Nacua and Adams, and Kam Curl intercepted two passes as the Rams improved their record to 3-1 after rebounding from their heart-wrenching defeat to the defending Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles.
So, not a bad start.
The Rams are far from perfect, or even consistently dominant in any phase.
But nearly a quarter of the way into the season, they look like the Super Bowl contender they were built to be.
The Rams don’t have much time to marinate in the victory: the rival San Francisco 49ers (3-1) are coming to town Thursday night.
But coach Sean McVay and his players should be feeling confident, if not overly so.
For the second game in a row, Stafford missed on some passes he typically completes. But he was outstanding during a trademark two-minute drill that ended with a touchdown pass to Adams at the end of the first half, during a fourth-quarter drive that Nacua finished with a fourth-down touchdown catch and on his perfect throw to a wide-open Atwell.
Nacua caught 13 passes for 170 yards, and became only the third player in NFL history to have at least eight catches in each of the first four games.
A week after neutralizing Eagles star Saquon Barkley, the Rams limited Jonathan Taylor, the NFL’s leading rusher, to 76 yards rushing in 17 carries.
Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua celebrates after scoring a touchdown to tie the score in the fourth quarter against the Colts.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
They also forced quarterback Daniel Jones into his first turnovers of the season.
After having two consecutive field-goal attempts blocked by the Eagles — including a potential winner that the Eagles returned for a touchdown — Joshua Karty kicked two field goals against the Colts.
But Atwell’s big play was the story of the game.
“You just never know when your number’s going to be called,” McVay said, “and he’s just kind of stayed ready. And that’s a tremendous credit to his mental toughness and to his resilience.”
It was the kind of play general manager Les Snead envisioned when the Rams surprisingly selected Atwell in the second round of the 2021 draft out of Louisville.
But Atwell’s opportunities have been limited. McVay has said that he intended to get Atwell more involved.
Atwell’s rookie season ended because of a shoulder injury. The next three seasons, he was part of a receivers corps that included Cooper Kupp and then Nacua.
Rams coach Sean McVay celebrates with wide receiver Tutu Atwell after his 88-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter against the Colts.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
During the offseason, with more lucrative free-agent offers ostensibly on the table, Atwell agreed to remain with the Rams, presumably with assurances from McVay that he would become more involved in the offense.
And then the Rams signed Adams, a three-time All-Pro.
Throughout it all, Atwell never complained.
“I had a lot of good receivers in front of me, a lot of great receivers,” Atwell said. “And it’s all about waiting your turn.
“So that’s what I do. Stay patient and when the time comes, you’re ready for it.”
When Atwell delivered on Sunday, Rams players went crazy.
“I almost cried, to be honest with you,” Adams said. “Just being on the sideline you could just feel the emotion.”
Like Atwell, safety Kam Kinchens hails from Florida. The two are so close, Atwell videobombed Kinchen’s introductory video call with reporters after the Rams selected Kinchens in 2024.
“Everybody knows how bad he needed it and wanted it,” Kinchens said of Atwell capitalizing on Sunday’s opportunity. “I was happy for him — it felt like I scored a touchdown! Like a ton had been lifted off his back.”
It was only a matter of time until Atwell made that kind of play, said edge rusher Jared Verse, who had a sack and forced a fumble.
“And I know Tutu,” Verse said, “Once he gone, he gone! There’s not really anybody in the league that’s catching him. … You might be able to catch him if you’re an Olympic sprinter or something. But besides that, you’re not catching Tu.”
Nacua knows something about catching winning touchdown passes against the Colts. In 2023, he did it in overtime at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
So Nacua was thrilled to chase Atwell to the end zone, a place Atwell often reaches on plays during practice.
“We expect those from him,” Nacua said, “and it was good to see him get a big smile on his face after making a big play that we needed.”
The Rams led 13-10 at halftime, but they trailed 20-13 in the fourth quarter before Stafford finished an 83-yard drive with the touchdown pass to Nacua that tied the score with 3:20 left.
The Rams got the ball again with 1:44 left, setting the stage for Atwell’s big play.
Stafford said Atwell’s opportunity came as the quarterback went through his progressions.
“Just lets you know you gotta stay alive,” Stafford said of receivers. “Whenever your time comes to make a play.”
Rams wide receiver Tutu Atwell trots into the end zone ahead of Colts defensive back Camryn Bynum on an 88-yard reception in the fourth quarter.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Atwell took all the emotion in stride.
“It felt great,” he said, adding, “I’m happy, but you know it’s something I know that I’m capable of.
“It’s a great win and I appreciate the love. But it’s time to get back to work.”
