Chargers @ Rams
Final Score: Chargers 13, Rams 6
Writer: Benjamin Haller (@benjaminhaller1 on Twitter)
Head coaches Sean McVay and Brandon Staley decided to use this first hitout as a glorified joint practice as starters across both teams were standing in plain clothes on the sidelines. The only rookies of note on show were Rams first-round speedster Tutu Atwell, fourth-round former-UCF tight end Jacob Harris, and promising Chargers third-round wide receiver Joshua Palmer.
Each team only had 8 drives in the entire contest, which was a scrappy, penalty-plagued affair that offered few moments of excitement for the neutral fan. The Chargers will be much happier with their roster, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The Rams will likely be looking at only a few of these players to fill out depth positions.
Final score: Chargers 13, Rams 6
Los Angeles Chargers
Quarterback
Chase Daniel: 15/24, 104 yards
Easton Stick: 7/7, 63 yards, 2 sacks | 1 carry, -1 yard
Both quarterback rooms have little to shout about and veteran Chase Daniel was functional at best in a dour offensive showing. He mainly littered his receivers with short to intermediate throws to the outside trying to extend drives and push the running game.
Easton Stick was asked to do nothing more than the basics and is not guaranteed to make this roster on the back of this showing.
Both quarterbacks were well protected throughout, something that was a priority for the Chargers when thinking about star quarterback Justin Herbert. So, here is an encouraging clip of first-round offensive lineman Rashawn Slater dominating.
we clipped this just for y'all pic.twitter.com/v5jhwGu1I7
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) August 15, 2021
Running Back
Justin Jackson: 5 carries, 13 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 9 yards
Joshua Kelley: 8 carries, 19 yards | 3 targets, 1 reception, -3 yards
Larry Rountree III: 8 carries, 63 yards
Darius Bradwell: 3 carries, 18 yards, 1 TD | 1 target, 1 reception, 4 yards
Justin Jackson and Joshua Kelley were both underwhelming last year behind starter Austin Ekeler and neither did themselves any favors in yet another lackluster showing from the Chargers running back room. The one who may be in with a chance to supplant either of those two is 2021 sixth-round pick Larry Rountree III, who showed illusiveness and quickness out of the cut to really catch the eye in his six touches.
SHEESH LARRY.@LRountreeIII | #BoltUp pic.twitter.com/eCY90TEkSH
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) August 15, 2021
Undrafted 2020 rookie Darius Bradwell won some hearts on Hard Knocks last year and spent the majority of the season on the practice squad. He is once again fighting for a roster spot and he may get an opportunity if the team chooses to move on from Jackson and Kelley. A downhill, no-nonsense back, he bulldozed his way in for the only touchdown of the game for the Chargers in the second half.
yesssss, @D1_Dreams2016 💪
📺 CBSLA / NFLN pic.twitter.com/6fnDTc2r0B
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) August 15, 2021
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Joshua Palmer: 7 targets, 6 receptions, 36 yards
Donald Parham Jr.: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 31 yards
Jason Moore: 3 targets, 3 receptions, 31 yards
Matt Sokol: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 19 yards
Jalen Guyton: 5 targets, 2 receptions, 16 yards
Hunter Kampmoyer: 1 target, 1 reception, 9 yards
Austin Proehl: 1 target, 1 reception, 7 yards
Joe Reed: 1 target, 1 reception, 6 yards
Tyron Johnson: 1 target, 1 reception, 2 yards
KJ Hill Jr.: 2 targets
Gabe Nabers: 1 target
The ball was spread around among a host of second and third-string receivers in this one but all eyes were on third-round pick Joshua Palmer, who I had high on my draft board earlier this year. The outside receiver out of Tennessee is a lock to make the roster behind Keenan Allen and the oft-injured Mike Williams. A different kind of receiver than deep threat Jalen Guyton, Palmer showed good hands by catching 6-of-7 targets in his first taste of professional action. Many of them were contested catches, something that he excels at. Palmer is one to keep an eye on throughout camp.
I see you Josh Palmer!!! pic.twitter.com/PTxoRFfYn0
— Bob Baskerville (@TheHoundBB) August 15, 2021
Los Angeles Rams
Quarterback
Devlin Hodges: 11/19, 85 yards, 1 INT | 1 carry, 3 yards
Bryce Perkins: 7/10, 42 yards, 1 TD, 1 sack | 4 carries, 23 yards
I will be happy to never see Devlin Hodges set foot on a football field again, to be honest. The former Steelers signal-caller was abysmal in this game, throwing a terrible interception, and looked completely out of his depth against some creative Chargers defensive schemes.
Bryce Perkins on the other hand showed some much-needed spark in a game that started to look ugly for the Rams. Perkins offers a dual-threat from the position despite his undersized frame.
OH NO HE DIDN'T 🔥@TDN_Perk with the stiff-arm + hurdle 😤 pic.twitter.com/Lw2xOB94XO
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 15, 2021
Perkins also threw the Rams’ only touchdown of the game just before the half to rookie Trishton Jackson.
.@TDN_Perk finds @TrishtonJ
TOUCHDOWN!! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/rm4HixKZlS
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 15, 2021
Running Back
Raymond Calais: 7 carries, 14 yards
Xavier Jones: 7 carries, 14 yards | 3 targets, 2 reception, 6 yards
Jake Funk: 5 carries, 24 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, -5 yards
There is really nothing to see here. I mean, nothing at all. Former Buccaneers running back Raymond Calais also returned punts in this game and could be in line for a special teams role but that’s where the relevance ends for this running back group.
Neither second-year man Xavier Jones nor seventh-round pick Jake Funk showed anything to suggest they will edge out Darrell Henderson Jr. from the backup role behind Cam Akers.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Jacob Harris: 7 targets, 4 receptions, 43 yards
JJ Koski: 5 targets, 3 receptions, 36 yards
Tutu Atwell: 4 targets, 2 receptions, 21 yards
Landen Akers: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 11 yards
Triston Jackson: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 7 yards, 1 TD
Jeremiah Haydel: 3 targets, 1 reception, 5 yards
Brycen Hopkins: 1 target, 1 reception, 3 yards
The Rams addressed a couple of needs in the receiver rooms this offseason by drafting speedster Tutu Atwell out of Lousiville and tight end Jacob Harris out of UCF. Both saw plenty of targets in this one and looked very promising from a fantasy perspective. Harris looks the goods as both a blocker and a receiver which bodes well for filling the hole left by Gerald Everett.
But it was Atwell who flashed some moves in this one as he settles into a gadget-back type role that the Rams have been lacking over the past two years. He was overdrafted, no doubt. But Atwell possesses both speed and the ability to offer something different across the line of scrimmage.
There goes @tutuatwell 💨 pic.twitter.com/rgcE30fHmX
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 15, 2021
— Benjamin Haller (@benjaminhaller1 on Twitter)