CONTENDER OR PRETENDER? SUNDAY GAME WILL DECIDE
If this is a fight most of the nation will be tuned out. The Rams vs Chargers game is being called The Fight For LA. The winner I guess gets bragging rights for one year but this fight ended a while ago. The Rams have better attendance, media presence and record since the Chargers moved in January of 2017.
The Rams won the NFC West title last year. The Chargers beat two teams with a winning record and missed the playoffs. Why isn't this game on national TV in a prime time game? Because outside of California, NO ONE CARES!
No one on the east coast is going to stay up until midnight in the mid-west and east coast to see the results of two California teams. To be honest this game isn't that important at all overall. It's an inter-conference game so it has little to do with tiebreakers at the end of the year. This game is for the fan bases of both teams. Trust me, the Charger players aren't going around the locker room this week talking about the Fight For LA. There are talking about the Rams vs Chargers.
This game means more to the Chargers than to the Rams. The Chargers roster is loaded with talent at several positions yet they have only beaten 2 teams with a winning record dated back to January 2017. The good teams in the league like the Patriots, Jaguars, Dolphins, Eagles and Chiefs, The Chargers lost to all of them. Instead of getting their victories over lesser teams like the Jets, Redskins, Browns, Giants and the Raiders.
The Rams are hot at 2-0 this season. Their Wade Phillips led defense hasn't allowed a 2nd half point this whole season. Last week against the Cardinals. The Cardinals didn't even get to Rams territory until the 2nd to the last drive. The Chargers will be looked upon by the results of this game. Are you a contender to the AFC and the rest of the league or just another loaded roster that in the end is more of a pretender than contender. Match-up wise this is going to be one helluva a game.
Besides the Chargers special teams, the area the Chargers are the weakest is among the offensive line. Dan Feeney is learning but has struggled in two games. PFF has Feeney down as the 71st graded guard in the NFL right now. Joe Barksdale is out Sunday, making way for Sam Tevi to start. Forest Lamp is coming along slowly but no one should expect him to start yet. In fact last week he was inactive so that kinda tells you what you need to know about his progression.
The chess pieces are set. Ndamukong Suh and/or Aaron Donald vs Mike Pouncey, Marcus Peters (6-0 vs Chargers) vs Mike Williams, Talib Aqib vs Keenan Allen or even Ken Whisenhunt vs Wade Phillips, this game has many intriguing matchups aside from the fake FightForLA mantra.
Both teams are rising teams in the NFL. How real they are of a threat to the other teams could become clearer Sunday. The Chargers have to strike early against the Rams. They haven't allowed a single point in their two games in the 2nd half. The Rams are not the 1985 Bears but they are very good. The Chargers can hang with the Rams offensively. It's the intangibles that I have questions about.
Injuries Chargers
Joey Bosa Out Foot
Joe Barksdale Out
Travis Benjamin Foot
Derek Watt Thumb
Antonio Gates Questionable Illness
Injuries Rams
LB Mark Barron Ankle
DL Michael Brockers shoulder
C John Sullivan Ankle
K Greg Zuerlein Groin Out
Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts will call the game for CBS.
PREDICTION: I want to say Chargers but I think the Rams stay hot and the "Charger fans keep up the tradition of it was so close if not for...." Chargers continue their losing record against winning teams for a little awhile longer.
RAMS 28 CHARGERS 24
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