At least there wasn’t a huge fight this time between the Los Angeles Rams and Las Vegas Raiders after one full week of scuffles.
But the Rams showed plenty of fight in the end…the one that’s through battling on the football field until the final seconds are up.
A missed two-point lob to rookie Jacob Harris became the difference in the Rams’ 17-16 preseason loss at SoFi Stadium to the Silver and Black, dropping L.A. to 0-2 overall in the month of August with one last game left before the September kickoff. However, there’s plenty to like from Saturday night. Let’s get into with the five things we’ve observed:
It Was Smart to Keep Bryce Perkins In
Two wise decisions before and during the game: Starting Bryce Perkins, then keeping him the whole way.
I wrote how Perkins was the better QB in the loss to the Chargers. He was once again the best option to take charge of the offense on this night.
Here’s early proof: Capping off this drive by locating the open tight end target Kendall Blanton, as the Rams allowed their TE to run an inside slant route as they’ve done with starter Tyler Higbee.
TOUCHDOWN 🙌
@TDN_Perk finds @TheKspecial_ to put us on the board!
Even when drives stalled and the Rams were forced to throw in emergency punter Matt Gay out there (Johnny Hekker and Corey Bojorquez were unavailable. More can be read here) Perkins worked his magic…and grit. Especially in keeping this late possession alive below.
BRYCE PERKINS ON 4TH DOWN!
Which eventually led to this lob to Harris in the back of the end zone.
Looking forward to more of these, @JacobHarris87 🙌
Along came the believers, beginning with Rams reporter J.B. Long.
Hope Bryce Perkins didn’t play himself out of Los Angeles (in a good way) over the past 8 days. That was a blast, and the 24yo showed a lot of moxie. Would love to see him stay in the organization.
Rams beat reporter Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic is another believer of Perkins.
Bryce Perkins will do whatever it takes, man. Gotta appreciate that from an undrafted free agent QB, who didn’t even get to run much of the scout team last year. Impressive game from him tonight – obviously some throws he will want back but some really promising stuff here.
And now, this prediction from Pro Football Focus Fantasy Analyst Sosa Kremenjas hints that Devlin Hodges may have played his last Rams game with Perkins going the whole way and electrifying.
Durability Concerns? Rams Rookie is a Warrior of Liberty City
Tutu Atwell took some licks against the Raiders. The kind that does make those who cover or follow the Rams ask if he can truly withstand a 17-game slate at his stature.
Rams WR Tutu Atwell is down on the field being tended to by the training staff.
It’s reasonable after two preseason games to be concerned about Atwell’s durability in the NFL. He’s 5-9 and 155 pounds.
Tutu Atwell already injured the left side of his torso and his ankle in this game and has been blasted like another 5 times.
I got no clue how this dude is gonna last.
So he took shots to the head, plus twice had to leave the game including limping off to get tape on his ankle. Yet, Atwell stayed in the whole way and became one of the top targets for the Rams.
The final stat line: 8 catches for 46 yards, with the former number tying the team lead with J.J. Koski.
During OTA’s, Atwell sent this message to anyone who thinks he’ll be easy pickings because of his size.
“Big hit, I’m going to get up. Any type of hit, I’m going to get back up at the end of the day,” Atwell told reporters on May 26.
Well, the Miami native who grew up in one of the roughest parts of the city picked a great night to show his “Warrior of Liberty City” side.
Running Attack Much Improved
Last week, the longest run the Rams busted was an 8-yarder.
But against the Raiders? The backfield had three different runners bust through the line for gains of 11, 12 and 19 yards.
And seventh round rookie Jake Funk boosted his chances to have some snaps come September 12 by leading the Rams with seven carries, 56 yards and averaged eight yards a carry. He was the one who had the 19-yarder, plus bursted through arm tackles on this 13-yard gain.
Bringin’ the Funk 🕺
@jakefunk34 with an explosive run for a first down
Overall, the Rams gained 129 yards through the ground game and averaged 4.8 yards a carry.
Undrafted Receivers Elevate Their Chances to Stay on With the Rams
J.J. Koski and Landen Akers both have one thing in common: They went undrafted before the Rams picked both up in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
But both lifted their play up in clear hopes of making the final 53-man roster, collaborating for 13 receptions for 110 yards.
The former Cal Poly Mustang Koski again hauled in eight passes, but half of them got the Rams past the first down marker. Akers, who played at Iowa State, caught 5 passes for 49 yards.
Rookie Defenders Show Why They Were Drafted
The Rams were struggling out the gate until Bobby Brown penetrated through and wrecked havoc.
The fourth round rookie from Texas A&M, who was drafted to be one of the potential replacements for Michael Brockers, used his snap explosion and tenacity to beat the center on this tackle for a loss, helping swing the momentum back to L.A.
.@bobbyiii5 making a statement ‼️
But the talk of the night on defense? Seventh rounder Chris Garrett. The former NCAA Division II standout not only broke up two passes and finished with a stop behind the line of scrimmage, but sent Rams fans and the sidelines into an energetic euphoria with this game-changing play.
.@Garrettchris52 bringin’ the 💪💪💪
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5 Things We’ve Observed Following the L.A. Rams’ 2nd Preseason Loss