The Rams didn’t exactly make life easy on themselves in Week 8, but they still walked out with a 24-9 win over the winless Chargers. That was the bottom line. The path to get there, though, was messy.
Los Angeles opened the game by going nowhere fast. The offense failed to pick up a first down across its first five possessions, and Matthew Stafford threw an interception on the opening series. For a team that has already dealt with shaky starts this season, it was a rough watch.
The first real spark came when Stafford hit Tutu Atwell for a 40-yard gain, finally moving the chains. From there, two more completions set up Kyren Williams for a one-yard touchdown run. That drive was the first sign the Rams could settle in, but for much of the game the passing attack never really found a rhythm.
The early answer was sitting right there: run the football. Instead, Los Angeles leaned pass-heavy against a Chargers defense that had plenty of issues of its own.
That approach looked even stranger with tight ends Colby Parkinson and Terrence Ferguson, plus wide receiver Davante Adams, unavailable. At halftime, the Rams had just one first down.
Their offense was averaging only 1.6 yards per play until that late scoring drive, and they didn’t convert a third down until less than seven minutes remained in the third quarter.
Stafford’s start was cold again, even if the veteran eventually did enough to help close it out. He finished 17 of 25 for 157 yards with one touchdown and one interception, and he was sacked once. He connected with Puka Nacua 11 times and found Atwell twice, but he still looked uncomfortable in the pocket for stretches.
The backs carried more of the load than the passing game did. Los Angeles ran the ball 27 times for 129 yards and two touchdowns. That ground production helped steady the offense, and once the run game started to click, the defense kept doing its part.
Chris Shula’s defense was excellent, even while working with some key pieces missing. The unit spent plenty of time dealing with poor field position and limited possession, but it never let the Chargers turn that into points. Los Angeles held the Chargers out of the end zone, limited them to 64 rushing yards on 25 carries, and kept any receiver from catching fire.
The result mattered beyond just one win. It was the first time all season the Rams had strung together two victories.
Ugly? Absolutely.
But it got them to .500 and kept their playoff hopes alive for another week.
In Other News...
Rams Rookie Suddenly Forced A Bigger Sean McVay Decision
The Rams found a little more offensive rhythm against the Chargers after leaning harder on rookie tight end Max Klare in the second half, and the usage jump came with a career-high snap count. For a team still sorting out how to distribute work around its young pieces, that kind of in-game adjustment matters, especially when it helps the offense settle in and keeps the matchup from feeling one-dimensional.
It also fits into a broader picture of how Sean McVay is managing the roster right now. Blake Corum and Kyren Williams continue to share the backfield, Puka Nacua remains the clear focal point at receiver, and the edge rotation has included Byron Young, Josaiah Stewart and Wesley Bailey. Klares expanded role adds another layer to those weekly decisions, and it leaves McVay with one more personnel question to answer as the season moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Rams May Need To Make A Costly Call Around Puka Nacua
Davante Adams is expected to miss six to 10 weeks, and the Rams have already felt the ripple effect in a passing game that has leaned hard on Puka Nacua while waiting for more help to emerge. With Adams potentially back around Week 12 or 13, Los Angeles is staring at a stretch where the current receiving depth may not be enough to keep the offense on schedule, especially if defenses can continue to key on Nacua.
Josh Downs, Brian Thomas Jr. and Dontayvion Wicks are the kinds of names that naturally come up when a team starts shopping for relief, but each would come with a cost the Rams would have to weigh carefully. The issue is not just finding another target, it is deciding how much draft capital or other trade value Los Angeles is willing to spend for a short-term fix while Adams works his way back. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Found New Defensive Spark As One Offensive Issue Still Lingers
The Rams finally strung together back-to-back wins for the first time this season, beating the Chargers 24-9 in Week 8 and moving back to .500 at 4-4. The game offered a little of everything the Rams have been searching for, from a steadier defensive showing to useful contributions from players such as Trent McDuffie, Blake Corum, Josaiah Stewart, Wesley Bailey and Tutu Atwell. Even with McDuffie working through a recent groin injury, the defense helped set the tone and gave the team a much-needed lift.
Still, the offensive side did not come out of the game looking fully settled, especially after a sluggish first half. The Rams got enough to win, but the uneven start left one familiar issue hanging over a team that is trying to build momentum as the season moves forward. There was also some injury concern to monitor after Jaylen Watson left with a shoulder injury, adding another layer of uncertainty to a defense that had just found some new spark. [Read more 🡒]