Simpson’s TD Leads Rams to Perfect Preseason With Victory Over Chargers

The Los Angeles Rams completed an undefeated preseason Thursday night by downing the Los Angeles Chargers 20-18 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Third-string quarterback Ty Simpson connected with fourth-string receiver Brennan Presley on an 11-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter that proved decisive, while placekicker Harrison Mevis contributed two 27-yard field goals to seal the victory.

Head coach Sean McVay maintained his philosophy of resting all starting players in games outside the regular season standings, leaving even backup quarterback Bennett Stenson inactive. The cautious approach reflected the team’s focus on injury prevention heading into the campaign, with referee Shawn Hochuli emphasizing health concerns during the pregame coin flip.

Chargers starting quarterback Justin Herbert saw minimal action, appearing in just two series before exiting. A fumble on his second possession led directly to Mevis’s opening field goal, though Herbert subsequently engineered a lightning-quick 14-second drive capped by a 65-yard touchdown strike to Quentin Johnston for a 7-3 advantage.

Simpson finished with an efficient 18-of-23 passing performance for 119 yards, guiding the Rams to a decisive lead they would not relinquish. The Rams’ fourth-quarter touchdown came on an 8-yard pass from Matthew Caldwell to Dean Connors, extending the margin to 20-10 before the Chargers staged a late rally.

Los Angeles begins the regular season on September 10 against the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia, as the league’s clear Super Bowl favorites heading into February’s championship game at their home stadium. The Chargers open their campaign three days later against the Arizona Cardinals in a home contest at SoFi Stadium.