Justin Herbert needed only one throw to remind everyone why the Chargers are talking about him as an MVP candidate, and Quentin Johnston did the rest on a 65-yard strike that lit up SoFi Stadium on Thursday night.
That burst of offense was the high point in a preseason finale that finished with the Chargers on the wrong side of a 20-18 loss to the Rams. In a rare setup where both Los Angeles teams share the same home, the matchup stayed tight from start to finish and gave roster hopefuls one last chance to make their case before cutdown day.
Herbert was part of the opening action for the Chargers’ starters, and the first series went sideways after a mishap on the exchange with running back Omarion Hampton led to a turnover. He answered immediately on the next possession, dropping a 65-yard touchdown to Johnston for a 7-3 lead.
Johnston’s speed and big-play ability looked exactly like the kind of threat the Chargers want him to be this season, and the early connection with Herbert was one of the clearest positives from the night.
After that, Herbert was done for the evening as the Chargers moved on to the rest of the roster. That made sense in a game whose result carried little weight compared with the bigger task of sorting out chemistry and final roster decisions.
One of the strongest performances belonged to running back Greg Desrosiers, who piled up 118 yards on nine carries. His 34-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter brought the Chargers within two points and kept things alive late.
DJ Uiagalelei also gave the Chargers something to like at quarterback, finishing with 141 passing yards and looking composed throughout his work. He then hit Evan Svoboda on the two-point conversion after Desrosiers’ touchdown, trimming the Rams’ lead to 20-18 and giving Los Angeles a late chance.
The Chargers’ defense did its part in stretches, coming up with several key stops and keeping the Rams out of the end zone after Herbert’s early turnover. In the end, though, the game came down to a handful of small moments, and the Rams made just enough of them to walk away with the win.
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Dicker said he is fine, but Jim Harbaugh added a layer of uncertainty by noting the kicker is "working through something." For a Chargers team trying to keep special teams stable heading into the game against the Arizona Cardinals, the hope now is simple: Dicker is available, and whatever is nagging him does not linger into the regular season. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Suddenly Have A Familiar Special Teams Decision To Make
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Justin Herbert Flashed Again As Chargers Fans Got Another Frustrating Reminder
The final week of the NFL preseason brought another close call for Chargers fans, and another reminder of why Justin Herbert remains the central attraction in Los Angeles. In a 20-18 loss to the Rams, Herbert uncorked a 65-yard touchdown pass that briefly gave the night the kind of highlight only he seems capable of producing, even in a game that otherwise had the flat, end-of-August feel everyone expects.
Still, the ending was all too familiar for Chargers followers, with the Rams closing things out after a decisive forced fumble by outside linebacker Darryl Peterson III. The broadcast itself added an awkward layer to the night when an official's hot mic caught the blunt line, "Jesus, lets get this over with," a moment that summed up the preseason mood almost as well as the score did. [Read more 🡒]