The Rams and Chargers gave the preseason its usual mix of starters, backups and growing frustration, but the moment everyone remembered had nothing to do with a touchdown or a turnover. It came from the officiating crew, when an open microphone caught an official in the middle of the action saying, “Jesus, let’s get this over with.”
The line slipped out during the final week of the NFL exhibition season, when neither team kept its starters on the field for long in order to avoid injuries before the regular season. Even with that approach, the game still had plenty of juice. The Rams and Chargers played a tight one, and the Rams walked away with a 20-18 win.
The Chargers struck first in a big way. Justin Herbert opened up the offense with a 65-yard touchdown pass down the seam to Quentin Johnston, giving the starting unit a strong early statement. But Herbert’s day also included a costly fumble, and the Rams turned that mistake into points with a 27-yard field goal.
From there, the Rams’ young offense took over stretches of the game. Rookie quarterback Ty Simpson connected with Brennan Presley for an 11-yard touchdown, and Matthew Caldwell later found Dean Connors for an 8-yard scoring pass. Those plays kept the Rams in front and helped set up the finish.
The final swing came on defense, where Darryl Peterson III delivered the decisive play. His 8-yard sack and forced fumble sealed the win for the Rams and capped off a preseason game that featured both a sharp football moment and one very blunt broadcast slip.
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The Rams used their preseason finale against the Chargers as one last sorting exercise, and a few fringe players made sure the coaching staff had more to think about before final roster decisions. Ty Simpson got the start at quarterback and looked steady throughout the night, finishing 18 of 23 for 119 yards and a touchdown, while the offense also got a boost from a productive effort on the ground.
Connors helped keep the pressure on the decision-makers with 18 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown, and Darryl Peterson III added to his case on defense with several impact plays, capped by a sack-fumble late in the game. For players on the roster bubble, those kinds of snaps can linger in the minds of coaches, which is exactly what made this game feel like more than a preseason warmup. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Donald's Rams Return Suddenly Feels Far From Settled
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Andrew Whitworth, who knows the Rams inner workings as both a former teammate and current analyst, still sounds convinced Donald will be back later this year, pointing to his workouts as a sign the comeback remains alive. NFL insider Mike Florio, meanwhile, has suggested the Rams are already bracing for Donald not to be available in Week 1 and perhaps not until after that, which only adds to the sense that this one is far from settled. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Just Created Some Tough Roster Decisions Before Week 1
The Rams wrapped up their preseason unbeaten with a 20-18 win over the Chargers, and the final tune-up only sharpened the questions facing the roster heading into Week 1. Rookie quarterback Ty Simpson got the start and handled it well, going 18 of 23 for 119 yards and a touchdown, while the defense continued to look like the unit Sean McVay and his staff have been waiting to see. It was the kind of August showing that leaves a team feeling good and a front office with a few more things to sort out.
Los Angeles also spent the month stacking up encouraging performances from depth players, with Dean Connors and Brennan Presley among those who made themselves harder to ignore. The defense allowing only two touchdowns across the preseason, its fewest since 2017, adds another layer to the conversation because the Rams now have to decide which of these bright spots are real keeps and which names end up on the wrong side of the cut line. After a finish like this, the harder part may not be winning games, but choosing who gets to keep contributing once the games count. [Read more 🡒]