eager

Although All-Pro safety Derwin James Jr. will miss his fourth consecutive game because of a hamstring injury, the winless Chargers are coming off their bye week with some much-needed reinforcements.

Wide receivers Ladd McConkey (concussion) and Tre’ Harris (hamstring) and offensive tackle Joe Alt (neck) are all set to play Sunday against the Rams at SoFi Stadium.

“It’s a good thing,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “It’s good to have them back out there. Good work put in. Feel good about the preparation and feel like we’re in a good place, ready to go.”

Harris and McConkey have been the Chargers’ top two receivers when available this season. Harris leads the team in receptions (15), receiving yards (225) and targets (26), while McConkey is right behind him with 13 receptions for 200 yards on 18 targets.

And Alt’s return instantly improves the Chargers’ banged-up offensive line, which has allowed Justin Herbert — who carries a league-worst 29.4 quarterback rating — to be sacked nine times in the two games the offensive tackle has missed.

“Regrouping. Retooling. Thought it was a really good week of preparation,” Harbaugh said.

Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel and his unit desperately need all hands on deck.

The Chargers are averaging a league-worst 15 points per game and are tied for the second-fewest yards per play (4.6).

“I spend all of my time focusing on the best plan for the players that we have available this week, to attack the defense we have,” McDaniel said. “And then you have to illustrate, in a good manner, what the vision is for how we’re going to play and improve the results.”

McConkey, Harris and Alt returning will help McDaniel’s cause, especially as wideout Brenen Thompson (quad/hamstring) remains out alongside key offensive linemen Rashawn Slater (ankle) and Kayode Awosika (fibula).

Meanwhile, the Chargers’ defense, which allows the eighth-fewest passing yards per game (206.2), must hold the fort again without James, who suffered a rehab setback.

“You can’t replace Derwin,” defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary said. “It’s not possible. He’s one of the best in the league, if not the best in the league.”

That task will be even harder if cornerbacks Donte Jackson and Rodney Shelley, who are both questionable with hamstring injuries, can’t play.

“For us, our message from the offseason to now is: team defense,” O’Leary said. “Play together. We’re not going to put too much on one guy’s plate. … And that’s really just spiked, now that Derwin’s out.

“It’s just a group effort, and I think the guys have done a great job.”

O’Leary’s defense has bent but rarely broken all season.

McDaniel’s offense, however, could use a breakout performance. And with more of Herbert’s primary targets fully healthy, there’s no better time than Sunday.

“It was much-needed,” Herbert said of the bye.

Still a lot of games left.

No one is panicking.

Been in this position before.

Those are affirmations Rams players and coaches have utilized during a season of great expectations mired in major underachievement.

The Rams, who opened the season as the Super Bowl favorite, will arrive in Las Vegas for Sunday’s game against the Raiders with a 2-4 record and a two-game losing streak.

• Share via Close extra sharing options

Gary Klein breaks down what to watch for when the Rams face the Las Vegas Raiders on the road Sunday.

And they will be without several key players counted on to reverse their fortunes.

Star receiver Davante Adams is out — and is expected to be sidelined five to nine more weeks because of a hamstring injury. Star receiver Puka Nacua, who suffered a calf injury this week in practice, will be a game-time decision.

Defensive lineman Kobie Turner was placed on injured reserve this week because of a groin injury, joining edge rusher Myles Garrett, who has been sidelined since the season-opening defeat by the San Francisco 49ers following knee surgery. Defensive tackle Poona Ford this week was declared out for the season because of a triceps injury.

Linebacker Nate Landman won’t play against the Raiders because of a concussion, and All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie is questionable because of a groin injury.

Meantime, the NFC West-rival San Francisco 49ers are 6-0, and the Rams are last in the division.

The Rams and coach Sean McVay have turned around seasons before. In 2023 and 2024 they overcame slow starts to win 10 games and make the playoffs.

“You can’t sit there and go, ‘Because we did X, we’re going to do Y,’ but we obviously know what it takes to win football games,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “We can’t sit there and look at the big picture and go, ‘OK, we have X amount of games left. These guys are doing that,’ or whatever.

“That’s not the mindset at all around here.”

The Rams have their own concerns, most notably a receiving corps that will be without Adams and possibly Nacua.

Adams, 33, is a three-time All-Pro and probable future Hall of Famer.

“You’re not going to one-for-one sub in a guy that’s going to be wearing a gold jacket one day, in Davante,” Stafford said. “It’s a team effort.”

It became an even more urgent one Thursday when Nacua was unable to finish practice.

Tutu Atwell, Konata Mumpfield, Jordan Whittington, rookie CJ Daniels and Alex Bachman are other receivers on the roster.

“Whether you’re talking about Davante, whether you’re talking about Puka, you don’t ever ask anybody to replace those guys,” McVay said, adding, “I want those players to be their best selves. … It’s a great opportunity for other guys to step up if that’s the situation that we’re dealing with.”

Rams wide receiver Konata Mumpfield catches a pass in front of Denver Broncos cornerback Riley Moss on Sept. 27.

(Justin Tafoya / Getty Images)

Atwell, Mumpfield and Whittington have combined for only 13 receptions. This could be the first game Daniels will be active.

“We’re all held to a certain standard,” Whittington said. “When you are held to that standard, I think the drop-off shouldn’t be that big. We all have a culture we abide by and everybody displays and embodies that. And I think it will work how it needs to work.”

McVay also could rely more heavily on running backs Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, and tight ends Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen.

“It’s not any more pressure to anyone on the team,” Williams said.

With Turner and Ford sidelined, the Rams’ interior defensive front will include Aaron Donald, Braden Fiske, Tyler Davis, Larrell Murchison and Ty Hamilton.

Donald, who ended a two-year retirement to rejoin the Rams, is averaging just over 38 snaps a game.

Will that role grow?

“We have a general snap count that he’s always going to have going into the game,” defensive coordinator Chris Shula said. “I don’t think we would go crazily past that, but it’s going to be hard if it’s a tight game and he’s at that number.

“Just like one of those pitchers in the ninth inning, you’re probably going to leave him in for a few extra snaps.”

Said Donald: “If it’s 30 plays, 40 plays, 50 plays, 60 plays, that’s what it’s going to be.”

The Rams have 11 games remaining, including Sunday’s against the Raiders, a home game against the Chargers and road games at Washington and Arizona before their bye week.

“It’s not over,” Donald said. “Is there a sense of urgency? For sure, because we want to win.

“But as far as curling up and panicking like this is the end of the world, it’s not that. We have a lot of ball to play, a lot of games left.”

PHILADELPHIA — Safety Kam Curl did not see it happen initially because he was on the Rams sideline teasing the Philadelphia Eagles about what he thought was his team’s certain victory.

Punter and holder Ethan Evans had a close-up view of the first part, but could not stop the second.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford, an 18th-year pro, said he had never witnessed a game-ending play like it.

Those were just a few of the memories from Rams players when asked about last season’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.

Minutes after the Eagles blocked a late field-goal attempt, the Rams lined up for another one on the final play. Jordan Davis of the Eagles leaped and blocked the kick, scooped the ball and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown that sent the Rams to a 33-26 defeat.

“All I heard was ‘boom, boom,’” Curl said of the kick and subsequent block, “and then I looked and it was all bad from there.”

Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis prepares to pick up a loose ball after blocked field-goal attempt against the Rams on Sept. 21, 2025.

(Chris Szagola / Associated Press)

The not-so-Super Rams return to the scene of that fiasco on Sunday.

And they arrive with several special teams units that remain a concern for a star-studded team that opened the season as the overwhelming favorite to win Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium.

Not that the Rams have looked the part.

They lost their opener against the San Francisco 49ers in Australia, rebounded with a victory over the New York Giants, and last Sunday blew a 16-0 halftime lead in a 30-26 loss to the Denver Broncos in Denver.

Now they play an Eagles team coming off a 27-7 defeat by the Chicago Bears.

Late last season, coach Sean McVay fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn, and Ben Kotwica served as interim coordinator for the final two games. During the offseason, McVay hired Bubba Ventrone, who had coordinated special teams for the Indianapolis Colts and Cleveland Browns.

They also signed veteran long-snapper Joe Cardona and linebacker Grant Stuard, a special teams veteran.

The Rams’ field-goal unit is seemingly in a better place than it was last season.

Kicker Harrison Mevis replaced Joshua Karty several games after the debacle against the Eagles. He made 18 of 19 field-goal attempts in nine regular-season games and the playoffs, and has made four of five attempts this season, including two against the Broncos.

The Rams have improved in “that particular phase,” McVay said, “but you have to do it again” against a formidable Eagles field-goal block unit.

“That certainly is not anything we’re taking for granted,” McVay said.

On the same day the Rams lost to the Eagles last season, Ventrone was coaching for the Browns, who blocked a field-goal attempt by the Green Bay Packers with less than 30 seconds left, and then won the game with a field goal.

“It comes down to execution and playing with good fundamentals in those areas,” Ventrone said. “If we can do that, then we’ll be in a better spot.”

While the field-goal unit has mostly thrived, Evans has struggled with consistency, specifically directional placement of his kicks. On Friday, the Rams waived punt returner Xavier Smith, who fumbled in last season’s NFC championship game and made several decision-making errors against the Broncos. Alex Bachman will return punts against the Eagles, McVay said.

The kickoff coverage unit gave up a long return against the 49ers but appears to have improved.

The Rams will need solid performances from the offense, defense and special teams if they hope to defeat the Eagles for only the second time in eight games under McVay.

The Rams would be going for the second consecutive victory over the Eagles had they not blown a 19-point third-quarter lead and had two kicks blocked last season.

The Rams trailed 27-26 when they lined up for a 44-yard attempt with three seconds left.

“You knew it was going to be the last play no matter what,” Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula said. “You weren’t going to [overtime]. I think I put my headset down.

“You put everything away and you’re like, ‘All right, here we go. This kick is going to decide my mood for this next week.’”

Evans recalled that after Davis blocked Karty’s kick, the ball went over Evans’ head. He attempted to dive on the ball, but he was hit in the back.

“By the time I got up and looked,” Evans said, “[Davis] was already in the end zone.”

The Rams aim to avoid a repeat.

Curl said the formula for success was simple. And it applied for offense, defense and special teams.

“Just finish,” he said.