Waiting for Daniel Popper to file his report from a Chargers perspective:
Rams pleased with joint practice, even though they experienced some revengeVincent Bonsignore
@theathleticla
IRVINE, Calif. — In the quiet aftermath of the Rams’ joint practice against the Chargers last Thursday, a session most participants agreed the Rams’ offense carried rather distinctly, a couple of prominent Chargers defensive players confided in me they were already looking forward to Saturday’s rematch.
“We’ll make some adjustments,” one said after paying the Rams’ offense a respectful compliment. “We’ll be ready for them on Saturday.”
Such is the ultra-competitive nature of the NFL, even in a practice session as easily forgotten as a seven-on-seven drill during OTAs. Nary a moment goes by that can’t be won or lost. Every drill, every rep, every period is a chance to own or be owned.
Not long afterward, I conveyed the message to a Rams coach.
“Haha. That’s awesome!” he replied in a text message, knowing full well the extra juice the Chargers would bring to Irvine on Saturday, and knowing whatever adjustments they made would only benefit his team.
There was no scoreboard to declare a true winner in the second session between the L.A. neighbors, but to the naked eye — and in the immediate breakdown by coaches and players — the Chargers’ defense turned the tables a bit on the Rams, at least through the early part of the two-hour practice. That mostly was the result of a more focused effort by the Chargers, the handful of different looks they unleashed on the Rams and a rather lethargic opening by quarterback Jared Goff and his offensive teammates.
“A rocky start” is how Goff described it afterward. “I think the Chargers did a good job bringing some different stuff to us,” Goff said. “Showing us some different looks.”
“We were sluggish,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “Offensively, not even close to good enough.”
The result was an uneven start for the Rams’ first-team offense during 11-on-11s, during which Goff said the Chargers had the Rams “on our heels a little bit” and “off-balance.”
It made for some frustrating, out-of-rhythm moments, although to the Rams’ credit — and much to their satisfaction — they gathered themselves over the course of the workout and responded with some big moments. There was the 55-yard strike Goff delivered to Robert Woods for a touchdown over Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward, and the two touchdowns the Rams secured during a two-minute drill to end the afternoon.
It didn’t make up for the choppy beginning. And the Rams were eager to get back into the classroom to review the film to better pinpoint whatever breakdowns or mental and physical lapses led to the listless start.
But in the bigger picture, the practice soon be forgotten, and the manner in which they responded and adjusted on the fly provided a small victory the Rams weren’t shy about claiming.
“I was happy with the way we finished,” Goff said. “I was happy the way we responded and that last drive, scoring (touchdowns) was good. I felt good about it.”
Said McVay: “I thought they finished the day strong. Which is what’s important.”
If it seems the Rams are reading too much into a joint practice, keep in mind their two sessions with the Chargers and the two coming up against the Oakland Raiders are their de facto preseason games. It’s almost a given Rams will follow last year’s plan by sitting most, if not all, of their offensive and defensive starters during the four preseason games, which means the joint sessions represent the only live action most key players will get against an opponent before the start of the regular season.
And while nothing can replace or replicate an actual football game, the joint-practice format is the next-closest thing. There is a decidedly different vibe between a normal practice and one featuring two different teams.
And the players feel and appreciate it.
“When we’re practicing against our own guys, we’re really cognizant of taking care of each other,” Goff said. “But when we’re practicing against another team it’s a little bit more contact, a little bit more physical and a little bit more real football. And that gives us a chance to see where we’re at and try some different things out.”
Which is why so many teams are seeking out practice partners from among their NFL brethren.
The Chargers, for instance, will host the New Orleans Saints for a pair of practices ahead of the teams’ preseason game in two weeks.
Goff said he preferred the work of a joint practice because the controlled elements allow for more beneficial work. He pointed to the 50 or so reps the Rams’ offensive line got Saturday against Chargers defensive stars Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram.
“Whereas a preseason game it might be five or 10 (snaps),” he said.
There was no official winner on Saturday, but if you had to call it, the nod went to the Chargers.
But you get the sense the Rams were perfectly fine with how it played out, and how they eventually responded to the heavy push they got from their L.A. neighbors.
theathletic.com/1115059/2019/08/03/rams-pleased-with-joint-practice-even-though-they-experienced-some-revenge/