Chargers Fall Short Against Rams in Preseason Battle of Los Angeles
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
The Los Angeles Chargers had a matchup with a familiar team on Thursday night, taking on the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in one of the more unique scenarios in sports, where two teams that call the same stadium home went head-to-head.
It ended up being an extremely close matchup, with the Chargers ultimately falling to the Rams, 20-18, in their preseason finale.
Justin Herbert and several other Chargers offensive starters saw action, and although it was brief, Herbert showed a flash of why he’s going to be an MVP candidate this season.
The Chargers turned the ball over on Herbert’s first series following a mishap on the exchange with running back Omarion Hampton, but the quarterback bounced right back. On the next possession, Herbert connected with Quentin Johnston for a 65-yard touchdown, giving the Chargers a 7-3 lead.
Johnston should once again be a deep threat and big-play weapon for Los Angeles this season, and that connection with Herbert was an encouraging sign entering the regular season.
From there, Herbert wouldn’t see the field again as the Chargers shifted their focus toward giving the backups more reps, which makes complete sense. The outcome of this game doesn’t matter much at all. It’s more about building chemistry and cohesion while also making the final decisions on the 53-man roster.
Running back Greg Desrosiers put together one of the best performances of any player on the field, carrying the ball nine times for 118 yards. That included a 34-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter that helped pull the Chargers within two points, although they couldn’t ultimately get over the hump.
DJ Uiagalelei also put together an encouraging performance at quarterback, finishing with 141 passing yards and looking poised overall. His two-point conversion pass to Evan Svoboda following the Desrosiers touchdown cut the Rams’ lead to 20-18 and gave the Chargers an opportunity late.
Defensively, Los Angeles came up with multiple important stops and kept the Rams out of the end zone following the early Herbert turnover. Overall, this was simply a game where some of the smallest plays made all the difference, and the Rams came out on top.
From here, the Chargers will turn their attention toward final roster decisions. The 53-man roster has to be defined this weekend, and several players used Thursday night’s finale as one final opportunity to make their case.
After that, the focus fully shifts toward Week 1 and the start of a regular season that continues to get closer.
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos