The Los Angeles Rams just edged out the Chargers 20-18 in their final preseason game on Thursday, August 27, 2026. Yeah, a win is a win, even in the exhibition slate, but all anyone is really buzzing about is rookie running back Dean Connors. This dude was an absolute problem for defenses, dropping a performance that’s going to make a whole lot of teams sit up and pay attention.
Connors Just Blew The Doors Off
Seriously, Connors was electric. The undrafted free agent rookie carried the ball 18 times for 69 yards. That’s solid, but wait, it gets wilder: 60 of those yards came *after contact*. That’s an insane 88 percent! He wasn’t just hitting holes; he was running through guys, forcing five missed tackles and racking up eight first downs. But wait, there’s more! He also grabbed three receptions for 24 yards and snared a receiving touchdown through the air, his third of the preseason! PFF graded him at a stellar 77.4, making him LA’s highest-graded receiver on the night. The guy made a seriously compelling case to every single team across the NFL that he belongs on a roster. You gotta wonder if he just secured his spot.
QB Questions and O-Line Woes (and Wins)
Rookie quarterback Ty Simpson also had an interesting night, scoring a PFF grade of 65.7. It’s wild because his grade was in the 75 range after the first half! Reserve QB Matthew Caldwell got injured, forcing Simpson into an emergency situation. After that, he was mostly just handing the ball off to keep him safe, which probably dragged his overall grade down. Still, the promising part? Simpson delivered his first big-time throw of the preseason on a scrambling touchdown to Brennan Presley. His average depth of target jumped to 5.9 yards, way up from being sub-5 in the first two games. He’s attempted the most passes this preseason and completed an impressive 78.3 percent of his throws, which climbs to 82.8 percent after adjusting for drops and throwaways. He isn’t being asked to sling it super deep, but he’s executing the plays in front of him really well. That’s an encouraging sign for the future.
Then there’s AJ Arcuri, the left tackle, who landed a 66.1 grade. His pass blocking was a struggle at 47.6, allowing two pressures and picking up a penalty. Ouch. But he was an absolute beast in the run game, pulling an 80.7 grade there. He played all 74 snaps, which could be a troubling sign with roster cutdowns coming up. The team has to be mindful of Alaric Jackson’s potential suspension, but maybe Arcuri playing the entire game means they aren’t that worried. We also got a quick glimpse of wide receiver CJ Daniels with a 65.6 grade.
The Rams kickoff their regular season journey in just two weeks, so these roster battles are getting REAL. Will Connors be a factor right away? Can Simpson continue to develop? We’ll find out soon enough when the games actually count.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Turf Show Times.
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