All defense and fan brawls as Rams lose 13-6

By Zakary Haines

The late-night viewing of the Rams and Chargers was an all defensive battle. With a final score of 13-6, it is easy to brush this off as a boring game. Except for a fan brawl that broke out between Rams and Chargers fans in the stands during the 2nd quarter. While some see this as an embarrassment, this shows that fans are in mid-season form. 

As for the game itself, it was an intense night for a few players. It was a slow offensive game, but for the defense, it was a busy game. The Rams recorded two sacks and four tackles for losses and getting four hits on the opponent’s quarterback. This was not enough, as the Chargers managed to gain 112 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. Larry Rountree III was able to run over the defense and get 63 rushing yards on his own. The secondary was not much better either, allowing 167 passing yards despite no receiving touchdowns, which did not stop the Chargers from going to the air. 

As for the offense, there is still some work to be done. The Rams only had 73 rushing yards total, mostly from quarterback Bryce Perkins (23 yards). It was a slow night as the Rams only scored one touchdown the whole game. Triston Jackson had the Rams single score on 1st & Goal during the late 2nd quarter, as he found himself wide open in the endzone. As for the quarterbacks, Bryce Perkins had a good night ending with one passing touchdown, 43 yards passing, and a QB rating of 111.3. He did end up taking one sack from the Chargers’ defense. As for Delvin, Hodges had 85 yards passing, one interception, and a QB rating of 47.1. Granted, most of the starters are sitting out this game, so it is hard to see where the team’s offense will be when it comes to week one. 

For special teams, this is an area that is still struggling. The only field goal attempt of the night was a miss by Austin MacGinnis. Kickoff returns only had 85 total yards, with Jeremiah Haydel recording 38 yards on two returns. Johnny Hekker and Corey Bojorquez punted for a combined 177 yards, with Bojorquez hitting a ball deep within Chargers territory. There was one bright spot on special teams. Raymond Calais made a 46-yard punt return from the Rams’ 7-yard line. Calais turned on the jets and took this punt back to the Chargers territory. He would end the night with 52 total yards as a punt returner. 

As a whole, the Rams have some work to do to tighten up their game. Head coach Sean McVay had a lot to say about consistency and moving the ball on the ground. He said, “I think there was some leakage, but there was also some good removal we had, so it was kind of hit or miss. There wasn’t much consistency, but there were a couple of good looks.” The Rams now have a small taste of NFL play and can begin to patch up the leaks. The Rams play on the 21st against the Raiders in SoFi Stadium at 10 pm est.