What To Watch For In Los Angeles Chargers Preseason Finale 

The Los Angeles Chargers had their first loss of the preseason against their SoFi rivals and face another Cali team in the 49ers, in their last preseason game on Saturday.

Here’s what to watch out for in this next matchup: 

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Quarterback Taylor Heinicke tried to show off his legs a little more against the Rams with 19 rushing yards on two different scrambles. And with quite a few more reps under his belt than against the Saints, he threw for 56 passing yards.

Trey Lance continued to show off his running ability and showcased his arm with some deep throws, including one to rookie wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith for 37 yards on a go route that needed an instant replay to make sure Lambert-Smith was still in bounds.

This next game will be interesting because it’s really Heinicke‘s last shot to prove he should be the backup. 

Better Defensive Play 

After such a dominant defensive performance against the Saints, the unit didn’t quite rise to the occasion in Saturday’s matchup.

To start off with the good, safety R.J. Mickens had a pass breakup on Rams wide receiver Britain Covey, while edge rusher Tre’Mon Morris-Brash caused an incomplete pass by knocking the ball out of Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett IV‘s hands while taking him to the turf.

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Per usual, safety Tony Jefferson had a pass breakup at the goal line on a fourth-and-goal. And there was one interception made by defensive lineman TeRah Edwards in the fourth quarter. 

There was only one sack, compared to the five against New Orleans, and there were a couple of instances when Bennett was pressured and still got the ball out, like in the last drive before the fourth quarter, where he had cornerback Myles Purchase pursuing him, and connected on a pass to Rams wide receiver Brennan Presley.

That lack of quarterback pressure contributed to Bennett’s successful two-minute drive, when he nailed a deep pass to Presley with two Chargers (cornerback Trikweze Bridges and safety Kendall Williamson) in coverage to create a first-and-goal as a last-ditch effort to help the Rams win.

The run defense also wasn’t up to par as the Rams had 134 rushing yards, which is more than the Los Angeles Chargers have allowed for any opponents so far in the preseason.

Some fixes in terms of run defense and quarterback pressure, as well as receiver coverage, given that last drive, will certainly be things to be on the lookout for in the next game. 

Better Offensive Line Protection

While Bennett didn’t face enough pressure, the Los Angeles Chargers’ quarterbacks sure did. When quarterback Justin Herbert was in during the first quarter, he faced pressure from Rams defensive end Desjuan Johnson as Johnson got into the right side of the pocket, causing Herbert to scramble and then slide, setting them back at second-and-18.

Johnson also got through the right side of the pocket close to the end of the second to take Heinicke down as he was throwing the ball, causing Heinicke to be taken out of the game.

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Additionally, outside linebacker Brennan Jackson sacked Heinicke earlier in that quarter as he got through offensive lineman Corey Stewart and Karsen Barnhart on the right side.

Considering the Rashawn Slater injury, the offensive line should be looked at very closely in the next game, as the Los Angeles Chargers will most likely need some of these backups during the season.