Chargers review: Justin Herbert’s warmup throws positive sign before loss to Rams
Chargers Simi Fehoko, #87, tries to fend off Rams Tanner Ingle, #34, during second quarter action in a pre-season game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers Easton Stick, #2, is brought down after a short gain by Rams Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, #6, and Jake Hummel, #35, during first quarter action in a pre-season game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, August 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Rams Mike McAllister, #68, wears heavy paint to face the Chargers in a pre-season game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers Isaiah Spiller, #28, tries to break free from Rams Jason Taylor II, #25, during second quarter action in a pre-season game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Rams Stetson Bennett, #13, passes off the ball during second quarter action in a pre-season game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh before the start of a pre-season game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh before the start of a pre-season game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers Easton Stick, #2, drives for a short gain through a pile of Rams defenders during second quarter action in a pre-season game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh before the start of a pre-season game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Rams Stetson Bennett, #13, looks for a hand-off during first quarter action in a pre-season game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers AJ Finley, #24, breaks up a pass intended for Rams Jordan Whittington, #88, during second quarter action in a pre-season game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh before the start of a pre-season game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers Quentin Johnston, #1, can’t get to this pass from Easton Stick as Rams Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, #6, defends on the play during first quarter action in a pre-season game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers Easton Stick, #2, is brought down after a short gain by Rams Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, #6, and Jake Hummel, #35, during first quarter action in a pre-season game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Rams Davis Allen, #87, hangs on to a pass as he is brought down by Chargers AJ Finley, #24, during first quarter action in a pre-season game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers Stone Smartt, #84, drives or yardage as Rams Jake Hummel, #35, defends on the play during second quarter action in a pre-season game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers Easton Stick, #2, passes the ball during first quarter action in a pre-season game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Former Rams player Andrew Whitworth, left, chats with Rams Cooper Kupp before the start of their Pre-Season game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Rams Alex Ward, #47, and Chargers Josh Harris, #47, chat before the start of their Pre-Season game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers warm up on the field before taking on the Rams in a Pre-Season game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers Stone Smartt, #84, takes the field before the start of a pre-season game against the Rams at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Chargers Simi Fehoko, #87, tries to fend off Rams Tanner Ingle, #34, during second quarter action in a pre-season game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
INGLEWOOD — The Chargers lost their second consecutive exhibition game, dropping a 13-9 decision to the Rams on Saturday at SoFi Stadium. Here’s what we learned, what we heard and what comes next after a second straight lackluster showing by the Chargers’ quarterbacks:
HERBERT THROWS
Injured quarterback Justin Herbert strode confidently onto the artificial turf before the game. He didn’t wear the walking boot that protected the plantar fascia injury in his right foot for the past two weeks. He chatted casually with teammates and coaches and then watched the Chargers pregame warmup.
Later, Herbert threw spirals to Chargers wide receivers, joining Easton Stick and Luis Perez for the drill. Unlike his teammates, however, Herbert didn’t use his legs to drop back and complete his tosses. Mostly, he stood still, but he delivered accurate pass after accurate pass in the time before the opening kickoff.
When the warmup ended, the Chargers’ players and coaches all gathered around Herbert, who then appeared to deliver a rousing pep talk before they walked to their locker room for their last-minute preparations before facing the Rams. Herbert was hard to miss in shorts, a T-shirt and a ballcap.
No question, the Chargers have needed a healthy Herbert on the practice field and on the turf at SoFi since the team announced his injury Aug. 1. It remained to be determined Saturday whether he would practice this coming week, the final week of training camp, or play in the exhibition finale Saturday against Dallas.
Once again, starting quarterback Easton Stick had his struggles during a first-half appearance. He completed 8 of 13 passes for 85 yards and a passer rating of 48.6 while leading the Chargers to a 6-3 lead by halftime. However, he fumbled at the 1-yard line, killing one drive and tossed an interception ending another.
Perez relieved Stick to start the second half and led the Chargers on a drive that produced a tiebreaking, 27-yard field goal by Cameron Dicker for a 9-6 lead in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. The Rams took a 13-9 lead after Stetson Bennett’s 47-yard touchdown pass to JJ Laap.
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh asks more of QBs with Justin Herbert out
Perez drove the Chargers to the Rams’ 21-yard line, but his fourth-and-4 pass to Cornelius Johnson was ruled incomplete along the right sideline with 3;26 remaining in the game. Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh spoke with an official for an extended period, but decided against challenging the ruling.
WHAT COMES NEXT
The Chargers play the last of their three exhibition games on Saturday against the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas. They have one more week of training camp to prepare for the game. Rosters must then be trimmed to 53 players by the NFL’s Aug. 27 deadline, with the regular-season opener Sept. 8.
