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NFL Preseason-Week 1

Rams and Colts clash this Sunday on the NFL Network

St. Louis appeared to have turned the corner in 2010 with a 7-9 record that actually was tied for first in a very weak NFC West, but a rash of early season injuries on a team that was already thin in depth led to a major slide last year. The Rams won just two games to finish 2-14 and are back at square-one in their effort to be competitive in the division.

The good news is that veteran head coach Jeff Fisher is now at the helm and the team still has a franchise quarterback in Sam Bradford and one of the best running backs in the league in Steven Jackson. The Rams’ defense is anchored by Chris Long up front and he will join by defensive tackle Michael Brockers, who was the 14th overall, pick in this year’s draft. While there are some solid pieces of talent in place, there are still more questions than answers for St. Louis heading into this season.

The Colts fall from grace to a 2-14 record last season was set in motion by a neck injury to quarterback Peyton Manning. He did not play a single down in 2011 and his worth to the team became painfully obvious as both sides of the ball crashed and burned in his absence. This was the same team that posted double-digit victories year-in and year-out for well over a decade, but owner Jim Irsay decided it was time to start over. He began to clean house, including the release of his future ‘Hall of Fame’ signal caller.

Manning is off to Denver and in his place is the first overall pick in the draft, Andrew Luck. The rookie quarterback has already been named the starter and will take his first snap in the NFL this Sunday afternoon. While the expectation level for this team remains extremely high, the reality is that the Colts are starting over just like they did way back in 1998, which happened to be Manning’s rookie year.

Prediction

Both of these teams will be looking for a win to get the season started on a positive note. Given that they are evenly matched right down to the third string, this game should remain a close, low-scoring battle right until the final gun. A play on the ‘under’ would probably be the best bet, but stick with the home team to squeeze-out a win. Indianapolis 17 St. Louis 13