The Rams have much respect for Herbert, but they also have a quarterback playing well in Baker Mayfield going into their New Year’s Day game at SoFi Stadium
INGLEWOOD — Rams coach Sean McVay said it probably won’t be strange for him to see Chargers branding on the field and throughout SoFi Stadium on Sunday. That’s how it was during the preseason when the two L.A. teams played each other in August.
The Rams’ real challenge for Sunday’s L.A. showdown will be playing against Chargers star quarterback Justin Herbert and his talented receiving corps that features Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. Herbert has had a historic start to his NFL career, setting several records during his first three seasons, and now he has the Chargers in the playoffs after they clinched a spot with Monday’s win against the Indianapolis Colts.
“I feel like there’s been a lot of growth since last year to this year,” Wagner said. “I think there’s been a lot of phases throughout the season, but of late he’s been playing really, really well. He’s a guy that can make pretty much every throw. The Rams can still play spoiler Sunday. The Chargers are fighting for playoff positioning, with the Baltimore Ravens only one game ahead for the fifth seed and the right to play the AFC South champion, which might be the 7-8 Jacksonville Jaguars. The Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals are currently the top three teams, respectively, in the AFC.
But the Rams have won two of their past three games since Baker Mayfield arrived and took over as the starting quarterback. Mayfield had a memorable Rams debut by orchestrating a fourth-quarter comeback win against the Las Vegas Raiders on Dec. 8.