The Rams begin their three-week preseason slate as the road team against the Chargers on Saturday at SoFi Stadium. Kickoff in Inglewood, Calif. is scheduled for 7 p.m. pacific time, with the contest being televised locally on KABC-7. It will re-air nationally at 10 p.m. pacific time on NFL Network.
In advance of the contest, here is your first look at Rams-Chargers:
Notable Chargers additions
- Signed cornerback J.C. Jackson to a five-year deal in March. In a defense-heavy free agency and overall offseason, Jackson was one of the biggest additions by the Chargers. He finished second in the NFL in interceptions last season with eight.
- Traded for outside linebacker Khalil Mack in March. The acquisition of Mack pairs an All-Pro edge rusher with one of the league's best in Joey Bosa, and it took sending a 2022 second-round pick and 2023 sixth-round pick to the Bears for the Chargers to get him.
- Signed former Rams defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day to a three-year deal in March. With head coach Brandon Staley continuing to add pieces familiar with the defensive scheme he wants to run, signing Joseph-Day made a lot of sense.
Top performers in 2021
QB Justin Herbert completed 443 of 672 pass attempts for 5,014 yards with 38 touchdowns against 15 interceptions.
RB Austin Ekeler led the Chargers' backfield with 206 carries for 911 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns.
WR Mike Williams led the Chargers receivers with 1,146 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, but his 76 receptions on the team were second to WR Keenan Allen's 106.
LB Kyzir White paced the Chargers defense with 144 total tackles and tied for the team lead in interceptions (2, which Derwin James Jr. and Asante Samuel Jr. also had).
On special teams, K Dustin Hopkins made 18 of 20 field goal attempts and 30 of 32 extra point attempts, while P Ty Long averaged 45.5 yards per punt.
Early storylines to watch, and what they mean for the Rams
Usually this section covers an aspect of the Rams' opponent and how that will impact the Rams. However, in this instance, the main storylines are focused more on the Rams.
Several young players flashed their playmaking ability during training camp, including wide receiver Tutu Atwell and rookie cornerbacks Derion Kendrick and Cobie Durant. Now, it's about seeing that practice performance translate to a live game setting.
In that regard, that next step in their respective development will be one of the main things to keep an eye on this Saturday.
