Rams & Chargers: A Season of Disappointment in Los Angeles

Segment Spotlight: Quick Hits From The Sporting Tribune Today

Rams Frustrations Mount as Calls Grow for Chargers Changes

Since July, the Arizona Cardinals are 2-0 in games that count at SoFi Stadium, including a win over the Chargers. The Rams are 1-2, while the Chargers are 0-3. Spain’s national football team is also 2-0 at SoFi Stadium during that span, giving it more wins there than the Rams.

The Rams’ struggles are increasingly frustrating, especially with Davante Adams dealing with a knee injury. Sean McVeigh continues to emphasize staying focused and treating the next game as another opportunity, but no matchup feels automatically winnable for this team anymore. Even if Myles Garrett returns, there is concern that the Rams will still find a way to fall short.

Upcoming opponents could create serious problems. The Raiders may lean heavily on the passing game, while Kirk Cousins could get his offense rolling against the Rams’ defense. Trent McDuffie did not play in the latest game, and the Rams surprisingly appeared to need him against the Arizona Cardinals.

Even so, the Rams should be able to beat the Chargers. The Chargers struggled to complete a 10-yard pass, and their problems are not comparable to what the Rams are experiencing.

It is time for the Chargers to fire Mike McDaniel. The issue is not whether he is a good offensive coach. The problem is that he has not adjusted his offense to fit the available players. The lack of wide receivers, along with receivers causing fumbles, has become a major concern.

McDaniel has also failed to find a way to make the offense work for Justin Herbert. There are years of film showing what Herbert does well, but the current offense appears to emphasize areas that do not suit him. As poorly as the Rams played, the Chargers’ performance against the Chiefs looked even worse.

After the game, Jim Harbaugh said the team had to look at everything. It was the first time he did not directly back McDaniel, suggesting that he also recognizes how bad the situation looks.

The Titans earned a win, the Browns are leading the division, and the Chargers are 0-5 with an offense that continues to struggle. Herbert also became the first quarterback this decade to throw an interception in each of his team’s first six games of a season. The comparison offered was flipping a coin and having it land on heads six consecutive times.

The last time the Chargers started 0-6 was in 2000, when Jim Harbaugh was their quarterback.