Tutu Atwell makes a late 88-yard TD catch, and Rams rally past Colts 27-20 after Mitchell’s fumble

By Canadian Press on September 28, 2025.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Tutu Atwell caught an 88-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford with 1:33 to play, and the Los Angeles Rams rallied to end the Indianapolis Colts’ unbeaten start to the season with a 27-20 victory Sunday.

Daniel Jones passed for 262 yards for the Colts (3-1), but Indy couldn’t overcome receiver Adonai Mitchell’s mind-boggling fumble right before he crossed the goal line with what was about to be a 76-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter.

The Colts also had a 53-yard rushing TD by Jonathan Taylor taken off the board by a holding call on Mitchell with 2:15 to play.

Stafford passed for 375 yards and three touchdowns for the Rams (3-1), and he hit Puka Nacua for a 9-yard score with 3:20 left. Nacua finished with 13 catches for 170 yards.

After the Rams’ defense quickly got the ball back, Stafford made a brilliant throw on the next snap for the decisive score by Atwell, the speedy receiver who frequently goes underutilized in Sean McVay’s offense. Atwell’s TD catch was only his second reception of the season.

Kam Curl then made his second interception of the day with 53 seconds left, and the Rams ran out the clock on a thrilling win.

Michael Pittman Jr. caught a go-ahead TD pass with 11:34 to play for the Colts, who couldn’t start 4-0 for the first time in 16 years despite dominating the first 25 minutes of the second half.

The game likely will be remembered for that incredible mistake by Mitchell, who made a long reception and beat two Rams defensive backs down the sideline early in the third quarter. As he held out the ball for an apparent celebration of his first career TD, he lost control and fumbled for a touchback instead of a 76-yard scoring catch.

Davante Adams caught a TD pass 7 seconds before halftime, but the Rams were shut out in the second half until Nacua capped an 83-yard drive with his gritty TD catch on fourth-and-2.

Jones made his first two turnovers in a Colts uniform when Indianapolis’ first and final drives ended in interceptions by Curl, but the veteran quarterback was mostly sharp for the rest of the afternoon, going 24 of 33.

Colts rookie tight end Tyler Warren scored his first career rushing TD on fourth down in the second quarter. Los Angeles significantly outgained Indianapolis in the first half, but two holding penalties deep in Colts territory forced the Rams to kick two field goals.

The Rams’ offense finally drove 96 yards right before halftime, with Adams making his third TD catch for his new team.

Mitchell should have put the Colts ahead after he outfought Emmanuel Forbes to make his long catch and sprinted to the goal line — but he lost control at the Rams 1 in a disciplinary lapse that left him disconsolate on the sideline moments later.

But the Colts’ defense responded, and Jones capped a 90-yard drive with a 2-yard TD pass to Pittman, a USC product from the Woodland Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Stafford and Kyren Williams botched a handoff on the Rams’ first snap after Pittman’s TD. Adetomiwa Adebawore recovered deep in Los Angeles territory, but the Colts could only manage Spencer Shrader’s second field goal.

Injuries

Colts RB Tyler Goodson was ruled out with a groin injury in the second half.

Up next

The Colts host the Raiders on Sunday, Oct. 5.

The Rams host the 49ers on Thursday, Oct. 2.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL

Greg Beacham, The Associated Press