Chargers see positives in Rams’ defeat

Inglewood, CA (News4usonline) – Looking at the stat sheet, it would be difficult not to see some of the positives that came out of the third preseason game for the Los Angeles Chargers. For starters, starting quarterback Justin Herbert made his season debut, albeit for one series. 

Herbert got the start and led the Chargers down the field for a field goal in a 23-22 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Herbert’s final stat line states that he was 2 of 5 passing for 46 yards. It was nothing fancy or worth bragging about. 

But Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh liked what he saw from his team’s starting offensive unit.  

“I thought they moved the ball down there really well,” Harbaugh said after the game.  “We had the screen call that didn’t work but I thought they looked pretty sharp. I was happy with the action that both our first team defense and first team offense got in this game. I think we needed it. I think it helped us.”  

What the Chargers also need is for the team to be healthy going into the regular season. The Chargers have already lost key offensive lineman Rashawn Slater for the season, thanks to an injury he sustained during a training camp practice. 

Now, Harbaugh and the Chargers hope that wide receiver Quentin Johnston will not miss significant time over a possible concussion he suffered on the third play of the preseason game. 

“Quentin suffered a concussion, and that’s never a good thing,” Harbaugh said. “The way it looked there at the time looked like it could have been a lot worse. He was taken for more evaluation, but he was talking. He remembered the play and he was moving good. So, in that way, it’s a good thing.”

It has to be reassuring for the Chargers that wide receiver Keenan Allen decided to return to the franchise where he has spent the majority of his NFL career. 

That was no more evident than when Johnston was carted off the field of play after being drilled with a jarring hit from Rams defensive back A. J. Green.  

With Johnston unable to contribute for the rest of the game, rookie wide receiver Tre Harris stepped up. Harris was targeted eight times during the game and made six receptions for 85 yards. Harbaugh didn’t single out Harris for his play, but gave kudos to all of his wide receivers.   

“I thought all the receivers did an outstanding job,” Harbaugh remarked. “Tre had some big catches,  showing the catch radius, showing the ability to catch it over the middle, catch and run, and catch on the sideline. I thought he had a heck of a game. [KeAndre Lambert-Smith] ‘KLS’ [did] the same. I’m really impressed with ‘KLS’ on the gunner rep he had and the tackle and the toughness. I thought both of those players, Tre and KeAndre, showed a lot of grit.”  

After Herbert’s initial series, Taylor Heinicke and Trey Lance took over for the rest of the way. Heinicke got most of the snaps for the rest of the first half, while Lance finished the game. Both players, fighting for that No. 2 spot behind Herbert, played decently. 

Heinicke went 6 of 11 for 56 yards. For the third straight preseason game, Lance impressed. Lance went 7 of 15 for 121 yards and had positioned the Chargers for the win until the Rams staged their late rally and touchdown to steal the game.  

“My overall thoughts are that I know it’s preseason. They talk about it’s just preseason, but it feels like regular season to me right now. It’ll probably be for another 24 hours and maybe even longer, but a tremendous thing to learn from in this game. I’m confident we’ll dig into it,” Harbaugh said. 

Featured Image: Inglewood, CA – Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers throws downfield to a receiver during a preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams in Inglewood, California. The Rams defeated Herbert and the Chargers 23-22 at SoFi Stadium on Aug. 16, 2025.