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The Rams acquired off to an awesome begin this preseason, profitable their opener in opposition to the Chargers on Saturday night time. They took down the Bolts, 29-22, at SoFi Stadium to notch their first preseason win since 2020.
Clearly, the Rams didn’t play any of their main starters, and the Chargers held most of their high gamers out, too. So this was a sport that gave the backups and position gamers an opportunity to shine. A number of Rams gamers took benefit of these alternatives, particularly Bryce Perkins and Lance McCutcheon.
Listed here are seven takeaways from the Rams’ preseason win over the Chargers.
Logan Bruss nonetheless has work to do
Sean McVay had already indicated that Coleman Shelton was pulling forward within the competitors at proper guard, and Saturday’s offensive line rotation confirmed a lot of the identical. Shelton didn’t play, whereas Bruss acquired the beginning at proper guard. Not solely is Bruss clearly behind Shelton, however he had a rookie second within the first quarter when he acquired bull rushed to the bottom by Morgan Fox, permitting a stress on the quarterback.
Bruss didn’t formally enable the sack as a result of it was Chris Rumph who took Perkins down, however it was a poor rep from the rookie Bruss. He did settle in as the sport went on, and it was anticipated that he might need some early struggles with this being his first NFL sport. After popping out early within the first half, he went again in through the fourth quarter, an indication that the coaches needed to see extra from him.
Terrell Burgess doing himself no favors
Coming into his third NFL season, Burgess nonetheless has but to earn the belief and confidence of the teaching employees. He was one of many solely skilled defensive backs who performed on this sport, which is a foul register and of itself.
To make issues worse, he blew a protection deep down the sphere within the first quarter, permitting a 41-yard landing to the Chargers. Burgess didn’t play a ton and was taken off the sphere within the first half, so it’s not just like the teaching employees needed to look at him all sport. However nonetheless, he didn’t precisely assist himself in opposition to the Chargers and is clearly behind Nick Scott, Jordan Fuller and Taylor Rapp.
Rams play it protected with WRs
McVay desires to take no probabilities together with his huge receivers. After saying just lately that he was excited to see Tutu Atwell within the preseason, the second-year participant didn’t get a single snap. The identical went for Ben Skowronek, who didn’t play any snaps, both.
This sport was all about Lance McCutcheon, Landen Akers and J.J. Koski, who had been the highest receivers for the Rams. It stays to be seen if Atwell will play in any respect within the preseason, however being such an inexperienced receiver, it could do him properly.
Loads of cross-training alongside the O-line
Alaric Jackson began the sport at left deal with, with Tremayne Anchrum Jr. subsequent to him at left guard. Logan Bruss acquired the beginning at proper guard and Bobby Evans started the sport at proper deal with, with Jeremiah Kolone at heart.
When the second half opened, just one participant was nonetheless at his authentic place: Kolone. Jackson moved to proper guard, and Anchrum kicked outdoors to left deal with. Chandler Brewer took over at left guard and A.J. Arcuri changed Evans at proper deal with.
The Rams at all times transfer their offensive linemen round and practice them at a number of positions, they usually continued to do this on Saturday, too.
Lance McCutcheon shall be powerful to chop
When everyone seems to be wholesome, the Rams’ receiver room is a bit of bit crowded. McCutcheon complicates issues even additional at that place. The undrafted rookie made a reputation for himself within the preseason opener, highlighted by his 60-yard landing during which he made a catch over a defender and shook off a deal with en path to the tip zone.
He caught one other landing cross in a while within the fourth quarter, primarily a leap ball thrown up by Perkins that McCutcheon got here down with. He made the seize look simple, too, regardless of being pulled down by his jersey.
McCutcheon additionally caught the two-point conversion on the Rams’ third landing, moved the chains on a third-down seize within the third quarter and led the group in receiving yards by a large margin; he completed with 87 yards and two touchdowns.
McCutcheon might be the seventh receiver on the depth chart proper now, however he’ll be a troublesome participant for the Rams to chop.
Kyren Williams is both nonetheless damage or locked in as RB3
Like Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson Jr., Williams didn’t take the sphere on this sport. That would imply one in all two issues: He’s both not wholesome sufficient to play after breaking his foot in OTAs or the Rams see him as their RB3 forward of Jake Funk, Raymond Calais and others.
Williams is a fifth-round rookie, so he ought to make the group anyway. However he hasn’t practiced a lot as a result of that harm, and he may use some preseason motion to get him acclimated to the NFL sport.
Younger defensive backs are stuffed with potential
Whether or not it was Derion Kendrick’s close to pick-six, Robert Rochell breaking apart a cross alongside the sideline or Grant Haley making a number of tackles within the open subject, the Rams’ secondary is stuffed with younger expertise. That’s an awesome signal because the group seems to fill out its roster this season, needing some depth behind the starters at cornerback.
Kendrick and Decobie Durant will certainly make the group, however it may be exhausting to maintain a man like Haley off the roster after seeing him impress throughout Saturday’s preseason opener. Dan Isom, a backup security, sealed the win with an interception within the last seconds, making an affect himself.
There’s quite a lot of upside and potential with this group of cornerbacks and reducing them in September may forestall the Rams from sneaking them on the apply squad.
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