LA Rams: 1st half turning point of the Chargers game

The LA Rams were rolling along. This was a game where the LA Rams backups, just 55 of them, faced the LA Chargers starters, just 86 of them. The numbers may not have been evenly matched, but there was most certainly a passion in the Rams younger players.   The Charges chewed up the clock for 20 offensive plays and 10 minutes to hit the scoreboard with a field goal.

The LA Rams came out with some positive pass plays off the hands of Devlin Hodges, but a trio of disappointing plays forced a punt to give the Chargers the ball. That set up outside linebacker Justin Lawler to step up.

And step up he did.

After exchanging punts, the LA Rams got a huge punt return from Raymond Calais, all of 46 yards, to give the Rams first and ten from the Chargers 48-yard line. On second and 10, the Rams quarterback Bryce Perkins laid out a beautiful pass to rookie tight end Jacob Harris. The Rams had to settle for a couple of short-yardage plays, but with a third and five Perkins was more than capable of running for six yards to move the chains.

Now armed with a fresh set of downs, the Rams turned to Xavier Jones to carry and catch a pass to move the ball seven yards. On third and three, Perkins found J.J. Koski for seven crucial yards to move the chains once more. Now, with the Rams at first and goal, Perkins found second-year wide-receiver Trishton Jackson at the back of the endzone for the only touchdown of the first half.

The Rams countered the blitzing Chargers defense by going with Bryce Perkins at quarterback and loading up the secondary against a lot of receiver targets. That seemed to create a string of open receivers that led the offense to score.

The Rams backups have not been intimidated by the Chargers starters on either side of the ball.  The score is tied, but we’ve definitely seen some great plays out of some Rams offensive, defensive and special teams players. It’s been a combination of heroics, both from OLB Justin Lawler and PR Raymond Calais, that has combined to become the turning point in the first half of this one.