The Los Angeles Rams took down the Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Saturday to win their second preseason game of the summer, which is already more wins than they had in the previous three years combined. Stetson Bennett was once again the starting quarterback, playing the entire game for the second straight week.
The Rams held out even more players this week than they did in the opener against the Dallas Cowboys, a group that now includes rookie safety Kamren Kinchens. But how much did everyone else play in the win over the Chargers?
We break down the snap counts below, looking at how many plays each player was on the field for.
Offense
Bennett played every snap with Jimmy Garoppolo sitting out again. Dresser Winn has yet to get on the field this preseason as the Rams attempt to properly evaluate Bennett before final cuts.
Xavier Smith got a lot of run in this game, playing 94% of the snaps. And he stood out in a big way, posting 54 total yards from scrimmage on six touches. Jordan Whittington and Tyler Johnson were the other top receivers, playing 57% and 52% of the snaps, respectively.
Hunter Long and Davis Allen continue to get snaps this preseason despite appearing to be locks to make the 53-man roster. Nikola Kalinic had a positive impact with two catches for 34 yards in limited action.
Logan Bruss played more than three-quarters of the snaps at guard again as he aims to make the 53-man roster after getting cut last year. Zach Evans and Boston Scott split the touches in the backfield with Ronnie Rivers and Blake Corum getting the day off again. Evans played slightly more, in part because Scott left the game in the first half before returning in the third quarter.
Defense
Jason Taylor II is on the roster bubble and got a lot of opportunities to show he’s deserving of a spot on the team, playing 90% of the snaps at safety. Jaylen McCollough played the second-most snaps at safety, coming up with his first career interception.
Keir Thomas and Nick Hampton were the starting edge rushers, but Zach VanValkenburg played a lot of snaps, too. Hampton was limited to just 25 snaps, which is a good sign for him. Ochaun Mathis’ playing time was limited despite being a backup, playing just 17 snaps.
Omar Speights really shined in the 43 snaps he played, making two tackles for a loss and a game-high seven tackles. Elias Neal was the other top linebacker, also playing well in the 32 reps he got.
Josh Wallace and Shaun Jolly played the most snaps of anyone at cornerback, playing half the game. Their spots on the roster are very much up in the air, but they’re likely on the outside looking in.
After dominating a week ago, Tyler Davis played just 14 snaps, which is a positive for him. Corey Durden got a long look at defensive tackle, while newcomer Carlos Watkins also got his first opportunity to prove himself in the 28 snaps he played; he had a strip-sack in the win.
Did not play
The Rams’ inactives were a similar group to last week’s, with the addition of Kamren Kinchens, Jerry Jacobs and Sam Wiglusz. Wiglusz and Jacobs are likely injured, as are Brennan Jackson and KT Leveston, so assuming they can recover in time for the final preseason game, they’ll need to play well in order to make the team.