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5 takeaways from a Chargers’ loss to the high-powered Rams

By Alexander Insdorf

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: Derwin James #33 of the Los Angeles Chargers intercepts the ball in front of Gerald Everett #81 of the Los Angeles Rams during the second quarter of the game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 23, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: Derwin James #33 of the Los Angeles Chargers intercepts the ball in front of Gerald Everett #81 of the Los Angeles Rams during the second quarter of the game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 23, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 23: Quarterback Philip Rivers #17 of the Los Angeles Chargers gets sacked during the third quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 23, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 23: Quarterback Philip Rivers #17 of the Los Angeles Chargers gets sacked during the third quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 23, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

5. Offensive line gave into the Rams’ elite pass rush

The line is kind of thin as is and is one of the more average ones in the league as anyone who follows the team probably already knows. Russell Okung got a slight injury Sunday, and they’re still working with pieces like Sam Tevi with Forrest lamp still inactive and Joe Barksdale out for now.

It’s not quite as bad as previous years in my opinion, but when you’re playing a pass rush like the Rams with Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh, and Michael Brockers, it’s got to be better to give the offense any chance to win against elite top five defenses.

That’s the crazy thing about the Rams’ defense. The Chargers putting up 23 points was probably the best offensive performance of the season against them. So while the offensive line has been generally OK this season, it really showed weakness in trying to block the Rams’ line, the best in the NFL.

A Sturgis Extra Point: More fan support for the Chargers in the Rams’ stadium.

Since this point doesn’t really have much to do with the play on the field at all, I left it as an extra point. But, I was encouraged to see more fan support for the Chargers at the game than I expected. It seemed relatively even with the Rams’ support in the building.

So that begs the question: Why don’t the Chargers get more fan support at StubHub if there clearly are some Chargers fans in LA? To me, that relates back to the issue of pricing at the StubHub center. It’s expensive to park at the StubHub center with some parking passes costing up to 100 dollars, on top of game tickets, which are more expensive because the seats are closer to the field and there are fewer seats.

The fight for L.A. may look bleak to some people with how some of the Chargers’ home games look, but I do legitimately believe after this game that there is some support in the area. The StubHub Center is a huge issue though for the team right now.

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OVERALL:

The team looked decent but just got bludgeoned by the Rams on offense, which isn’t much of a surprise considering they are a top three team in the NFL.

I don’t like how the Chargers played on defense especially late, but I’m not that discouraged coming away from a game that I think the Chargers were expected to drop. They kept it close, and while there are no moral victories in the NFL, I do think the Chargers should take some pleasure in the fact that this was likely their hardest game of the season.

NEXT WEEK:

The Chargers come back home to play a 49ers team that’s likely going to be in a rough spot after  losing Jimmy Garoppolo for the remainder of the season.  Their offense will probably look rough and their defense hasn’t been the best this season.

This has to be a win for the Chargers in my opinion. I won’t put the title “must-win” on it since it’s so early, but this is a game against a struggling, injured squad that’s less talented than them that they should win.

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