Left guard Steve Avila is doubtful because of an ankle injury and right guard Kevin Dotson will be playing through an ankle issue.
Not great news for a group that must contain Titans defensive end Jeffery Simmons.
“He is really disruptive,” Stafford said of Simmons, who sacked Stafford three times in a Rams defeat in 2021, “gets off on the count, physical, fast and plays with a nasty streak.”
To reinforce the line and help establish the rushing attack, coach Sean McVay could deploy multiple tight ends.
The Rams’ defense faces quarterback Cam Ward, the top pick in the NFL draft.
Ward completed 12 of 28 passes for 112 yards in a 20-12 defeat by the Denver Broncos. He was sacked six times.
“He didn’t play bad last week,” Rams edge rusher Byron Young said. “He looked pretty comfortable back there even though he got sacked a few times. He was handling himself pretty well. … He knows what he’s doing. Even though he’s a rookie, he’s definitely somebody you can’t sleep on.”
A bloodied female and her male companion were escorted out of SoFi Stadium during the fourth quarter of the Rams season opener Sunday along with two other spectators who had engaged in the same violent altercation.
The woman and her companion were wearing jerseys of the Houston Texans, who the Rams defeated 14-9. Video clips on social media showed her face covered with blood when security guards led her from Section 428 high above the end zone.
The incident appeared to begin with words and shoving between the woman in the No. 99 jersey of retired Texans legend JJ Watt and a woman wearing a Rams jersey. The altercation escalated, with the man wearing the No. 7 jersey of Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud pouring a cup of beer on the head of the woman in the Rams jersey.
Two men in Rams jerseys one row above the brawl stood and began shoving and grabbing the two Texans fans until security personnel arrived about two minutes into the incident.
The two men from the row above removed their jerseys — one of former Rams great Aaron Donald and the other of Rams receiver Puka Nacua — but additional security personnel arrived, handcuffed both men and escorted them away.
SoFi Stadium, which opened in 2020, has been plagued by brawls. Oakland chef Daniel Luna was in a medically induced coma for weeks after Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics discovered him lying on the ground in the stadium’s Lot L during the NFC Championship Game between the Rams and San Francisco 49ers.
It took three days and an inquiry from The Times before Inglewood authorities acknowledged the incident. Bryan Alexis Cifuentes, 33, was charged with one felony count of battery with serious bodily injury after video showed that he dropped Luna with one punch. Cifuentes pleaded not guilty and investigators determined that Luna started the altercation when he shoved Cifuentes.
Luna sued the Rams and L.A. County, claiming that because he was drunk deputies should have put him in a form of protective custody after he was denied entrance to the stadium because he didn’t have a ticket.
The suit was dismissed by Inglewood Superior Court Judge Ronald F. Frank, who wrote that “the Sheriff’s Department did not create the peril in which plaintiff found himself. [Luna] alleges that he was already inebriated when he was detained initially. The sheriffs took no affirmative action which contributed to, increased, or changed the risk which would have otherwise existed.”
At least four fights have broken out at Chargers games at SoFi Stadium. The most recent was a brawl in a game against the Raiders in September 2024. A video provided to KTLA shows showed a group of Chargers fans fighting a shirtless man.
Several fights broke out off the field during the game, including one on a concourse exit that involved a dozen or more fans. No fans were arrested, according to the Inglewood Police Department.
After a game between the Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs in November 2022, a man was thrown over a railing. A person who recorded a video of the incident told KABC-TV Channel 7 that the fight began after one man bumped into another. A third man tried to intervene and was thrown over the railing onto the concrete steps below.
A 2022 poll of more than 3,000 fans by Sportsbook Review concluded that many NFL stadiums are more violent than SoFi Stadium and that fans generally feel safe attending games at the venue.
Crimes in and around stadiums occur all too often, with 39.2% of poll respondents reporting having witnessed or fallen victim to at least one crime in or outside a stadium. Only 5.4% of fans had witnessed a crime at SoFi, and only one of those polled said they had been a victim of a crime while attending a Rams or Chargers home game.
Sportsbook Review updated its rankings last week, with SoFi moving up from the 15th to the 11th most dangerous NFL stadium. M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens, is ranked as the most dangerous; Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills, is ranked as the safest.
And the team’s new linebacker and team captain punched out the Houston Texans.
With the Texans threatening to score in the final minutes of the opener, Landman showed an artisan’s touch by separating the ball from a Texan running back’s grip and forcing a fumble that was recovered by lineman Braden Fiske.
The play all but sealed the Rams’ 14-9 season-opening victory before 71,346 at SoFi Stadium.
“It means so much,” said Landman, who played three seasons for the Atlanta Falcons before signing a one-year contract with the Rams. “You work, you work, you work, for that moment to happen there, and for that moment to come to fruition and expose itself is really great.”
Landman was one of several key players for a defense that limited the Texans to three field goals.
Cornerback Cobie Durant intercepted a pass, edge rusher Byron Young, lineman Tyler Davis and safety Jaylen McCollough recorded sacks and Fiske made a spectacular play to recover Dare Ogunbowale’s fumble after Landman punched it out.
Those efforts made it easier for an offense that will need some fine-tuning to live up to its hype.
“Landman making that punch out was so cool,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said.
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1.Rams tight end Davis Allen (87) celebrates with teammates after making a touchdown catch.2.Rams safety Jaylen McCollough celebrates during the first half.3.Rams running back Kyren Williams tries to evade Houston Texans defenders.4.Quarterback Matthew Stafford celebrates the Rams’ win.5.Houston cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. pushes Rams wide receiver Jordan Whittington out of bounds in the second quarter.(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Stafford, in his 17th NFL season, did not commit a turnover while etching his name deeper into the NFL record book. He completed 21 of 29 passes for 245 yards and a touchdown, and became only the 10th player to pass for more than 60,000 yards.
After sitting out all of training camp and several weeks of preseason practices because of a back issue, his ability to start and finish the game was a victory unto itself.
Receiver Puka Nacua also showed characteristic grit and toughness. Despite suffering an injury that required stitches in his head, Nacua caught 10 passes for 130 yards. Receiver Davante Adams caught four passes for 51 yards in his Rams debut.
Running back Kyren Williams rushed for a touchdown and tight end Davis Allen caught a touchdown pass as the Rams improved to 7-2 in openers under ninth-year coach Sean McVay.
“Our guys found a way,” McVay said of his team’s overall effort, “and that’s what it’s about.”
Sunday’s game marked the start of the Rams’ 10th season in Los Angeles since returning from St. Louis.
And the defense’s performance, save for an untimely penalty or two, rated a near 10.
Rams coach Sean McVay shares a hand slap with wide receiver Puka Nacua during the Rams’ season-opening win.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The Rams’ offense managed only Williams’ touchdown in the first half. Meanwhile, Ka’imi Fairbairn kicked three field goals to give the Texans a 9-7 lead.
But the Rams appeared to come out with a different attitude in the second half.
Stafford’s passes to Adams and Xavier Smith set up Allen’s touchdown catch that gave the Rams the lead, and they appeared on their way to increasing their advantage when they drove to the Texans’ 12-yard line with just over four minutes left.
But tight end Colby Parkinson fumbled after a short reception, putting the onus on the Rams defense.
When quarterback C.J. Stroud’s third-down pass fell incomplete, the Rams looked like they were on the verge of victory. But a roughing-the-passer penalty against lineman Kobie Turner kept the drive alive.
Stroud completed a pass to Ogunbowale, and on the next play they connected for another. But this time Landman punched the ball out of Ogunbowale’s grip.
McVay was not surprised.
Landman, who forced three fumbles in each of the previous two seasons, has had more punchouts in practice than any other player,” McVay said.
“He has just a great feel for it,” McVay said, “so he’s intentional, and I think it’s rubbed off on the rest of the group. And he got it at a critical time. You talk about competitive greatness — that was on display.”
Stafford’s 24-yard pass to Nacua in the final minute sealed the victory.
“That’s complementary football, right?” Stafford said. “That’s, ‘Hey, we make a mistake, defense comes out and makes a play for us. Hey, you know what, we aren’t going to put you back out on the field defense, we’re going to close this thing out taking a knee.’
“Those are things you can build on.”
The Rams play the Tennessee Titans and the defending Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles on the road the next two weeks.
“The sky’s the limit for this defense,” Landman said. “You see the guys we have up front, the pressure we’re able to create on the quarterback.
“And you pair that with the coverage behind it — it’s a lot to look forward to this year.”
If the Rams pass rush wants to christen itself as the NFL’s most ferocious, the Houston Texans could offer a prime chance to showcase its “dangerous” capabilities.
The offensive line has been a significant concern for the Texans, to the point where coach DeMeco Ryans is tired of talking about it. Despite quarterback CJ Stroud being sacked 52 times last season (third most in the NFL), Houston wasn’t necessarily able to improve the unit, especially after trading blindside protector Laremy Tunsil to Washington.
The mostly fresh-faced starting five will be tasked with staying in front of a Rams pass rush contingent that enters the season ranked sixth in the NFL by Pro Football Focus.
Jared Verse, Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske and Byron Young could create significant issues for Stroud, and Poona Ford could be the missing ingredient the Rams need to shore up their defensive front to create even more problems for opposing offenses.
Stroud isn’t the only one facing a tough pass rush. Matthew Stafford and his recovering back will be tested against a Houston defense that racked up 49 sacks (fourth in NFL) and 19 interceptions (second) last season.
The 37-year-old quarterback didn’t practice until late into training camp, but Stafford and coach Sean McVay have said they are confident everything will be normal.
But the Rams’ kicker, punter/holder and long-snapper, respectively, have shown signs that they could have the collective staying power of former Rams stalwarts Greg Zuerlein, Johnny Hekker and Jake McQuaide.
From 2012 to 2019, Zuerlein kicked, Hekker punted (and occasionally passed) and McQuaide snapped for the Rams under former special teams coordinator John Fassel.
The current specialists can envision a similarly lengthy future together.
“We all work really well with each other,” said Evans, a third-year pro. “We all know exactly what each other’s do’s and don’ts are, what makes each other better.
“So I feel like we all complement each other really well — and I think we could do that for a long time.”
Karty, a 2024 sixth-round draft pick from Stanford, experienced and learned from the highs and lows after making 29 of 34 field-goal attempts and 32 of 36 extra-point attempts during the regular season.
Karty kicked a winning field goal against the San Francisco 49ers, navigated a stretch of misses and inconsistency and then finished by making 17 consecutive attempts during the last five regular-season games and two playoff games.
It was something of “a roller coaster,” said Karty, who aims to pick up where he left off last season.
Karty impressed coach Sean McVay with his ability to bounce back.
“I’m just super impressed with his mental resolve,” McVay said. “I think there was some instances last year where you could just see he just got better and better as the year progressed.
“He’s got a consistent process that he commits to. I don’t think you can take for granted the rapport between him, Ethan and Alex. That’s a big deal as those guys are continuing to grow together.”
Special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn said Karty has a “comfortability” from experience and working with Ward and Evans.
“The confidence that’s built in the offseason together and training camp together,” Blackburn said. “Going through it and having those, knowing that he has the confidence and the complete trust of all his teammates too.”
Evans, a third-year pro, last season averaged 41.5 net yards per punt. He placed 30 of 55 kicks inside the 20-yard line.
Evans said he has a refined daily routine and is not overthinking.
“I used to think, ‘Oh, my drop had to be perfect. My steps have to be this … I have to put the ball there, there, there.’
“Now, it’s just like, wherever Chase tells me to punt it, just punt it. Don’t think about anything. Just go and do it.”
Receiver Xavier Smith held off a challenge from veteran free agent Britain Covey during training camp to retain his role as a punt returner.
Receiver Jordan Whittington, running back Blake Corum and Smith could once again handle kickoff returns.
Undrafted rookie linebacker Shaun Dolac and veteran linebacker Troy Reeder are among other players expected to make an impact on special teams.
Matthew Stafford will start at quarterback and the plan is for Alaric Jackson to start at left tackle on Sunday in the season opener against the Houston Texans at SoFi Stadium, Rams coach Sean McVay said Monday.
Stafford, 37, practiced the last few weeks after sitting out training camp and several weeks because of a back issue.
“He’ll be good,” to start against the Texans, McVay said during a videoconference with reporters after the Rams completed a no-pads practice that was closed to the media.
Jackson, who signed a $35-million extension in March, practiced Monday for the first time since he was diagnosed with blood clots in his legs in June. Jackson had been doing individual drills with trainers and had participated with starters in jog-throughs.
“He earned the right to be in the position, where you pay him — it was a big priority for us to get him back,” McVay said. “He’s done everything in his power to be ready to go. This was always the end goal in mind — is to be ready to go against the Texans.”
After Jackson was diagnosed with blood clots for the second time in his career — he also dealt with the issue in 2022 — the Rams signed veteran tackle D.J. Humphries. Warren McClendon Jr. and David Quessenberry are other tackles that could play opposite right tackle Rob Havenstein if Jackson is injured, limited or struggles.
But McVay sounded optimistic that the Rams would continue to manage Jackson’s condition and that he would be ready for Sunday.
“He’s taken great care of himself, and he’s put himself in a rare position that I do believe to step in and play at a good clip,” McVay said, adding, “There’s nothing like actually playing real football … but [Monday] was a great step in the right direction.”
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford appears on track to start the season opener against the Houston Texans — and now perhaps his primary protector will join him in the preparation.
Left tackle Alaric Jackson, who has been sidelined because of blood-clot issues in his legs, will participate in full-team drills for the first time next week, coach Sean McVay said Monday.
“We’ve got a good plan in place,” McVay said.
Jackson, 27, signed a three-year, $35-million extension in March. But in June, he was diagnosed with blood-clot issues for the second time in his career, and the Rams hurriedly signed veteran tackle D.J. Humphries.
Rams offensive tackle Alaric Jackson stretches with teammates during training camp at Loyola Marymount on July 24.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Whether Jackson can play in the Sept. 7 opener against the Texans, or any time this season, will be determined by how he responds to the increased workload while managing the condition.
McVay and the Rams are hoping Jackson’s trajectory is similar to Stafford’s.
Stafford, sidelined all of training camp and several weeks of practices because of a back issue, returned last week and completed three workouts and a jog-through with no setbacks. He was on the field Monday and continued to look sharp.
“He’s doing a heck of a job taking care of himself with a lot of different things,” McVay said of Stafford, adding, “I can’t see into the future, but if you look at what the last week has entailed, feel really good.
“There’s nothing that would lead me to believe, unless we have an unforeseen setback, that he’s not going to be ready to roll against the Texans.”
Having Jackson available to protect Stafford’s blindside would be a plus for a Rams team regarded as a Super Bowl contender.
The Rams have experience dealing with Jackson’s issue.
In 2022, the season of the Rams’ historic post-Super Bowl collapse, Jackson sat out eight games because of a blood-clot issue.
Since training camp began, Jackson has been doing individual work with trainers. But he has lined up with starters during jog-throughs. Jackson’s participation in full-team drills starting next Monday will be another milestone for the fifth-year pro.
“I’m really happy for him that all things are pointing to him being ready to go and being able to manage this,” McVay said. “There’s been a lot of work behind the scenes of being educated on how many people have really been able to deal with this. … Feel really fortunate that that’s the direction that we’re trending in.”
Etc.
Initial 53-man rosters must be set by Tuesday at 1 p.m. . McVay said the Rams already have made their decisions. … Rookie outside linebacker Josaiah Stewart is in concussion protocol, McVay said.
Ferguson, a second-round draft pick from Oregon, made his debut after sitting out the first two preseason games because of a hamstring injury.
Ferguson was quiet the first quarter, but in the second he got a chance to show why the Rams selected him to be the heir apparent to veteran tight end Tyler Higbee.
Lining up in the left slot, the 6-foot-5, 247-pound Ferguson broke toward the sideline and made an over-the-shoulder catch for a 33-yard gain. Ferguson, not realizing he slid out of bounds, got to his feet and ran to the end zone.
“It was a big thing for me to have that first catch and be able to stretch the field a little bit, showcase some vertical speed,” Ferguson said during the television broadcast.
A few plays later, Ferguson lined up in the right slot, caught a short pass and turned it into a 15-yard gain.
That was all coach Sean McVay and his staff needed to see.
“You feel him,” McVay told reporters in Cleveland after the game. “He’s just got a nice pace to his game. Thought it was great to be able to get him out there.”
Ferguson showed he will be a factor in a tight end group that also includes Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen.
By Tuesday, NFL teams must cut their rosters to 53 players.
So the Rams’ third preseason game against the Cleveland Browns on Saturday in Cleveland is the final opportunity for coach Sean McVay and his staff — and other pro teams — to evaluate players.
“We have a good idea of what a handful of things look like,” McVay said of the roster, adding, “while also knowing that hey, things can change with the snap of a finger, if you will, just because of injuries and some of the uncertainty.
“I’m looking forward to watching a handful of guys compete because there are still some spots to be determined.”
As Matthew Stafford got to the podium on Thursday, he joked that he was sure reporters wanted to ask him questions about the paper cut he suffered.
The Rams star quarterback then fielded inquiries about the subject that clouds all conversation about the Rams: The back injury that sidelined Stafford until this week.
Stafford practiced for the fourth day in a row, another small milestone for the 17th-year pro and a team aiming to make a Super Bowl run.
“The good thing is I feel pretty good,” said Stafford, who practiced for the fourth day in a row. “The last couple days out there practicing, I was able to do even more than I thought I was going to be able to do the first day, and then I’ve just been trying to stack days.
“Backs are sometimes interesting things. It’s not cut and dry, what’s what and how you’re going to feel. So I’m really appreciative of our team, our head coach and everybody taking a day-to-day approach with me and doing everything they can to try and help me out.
“I have a feeling of responsibility to our team to do what’s right by them and I’m trying to do that as best as I can day in and day out.”
Stafford, 37, declined to discuss specifics of his injury, which coach Sean McVay has described as an aggravated disc that required at least one epidural injection.
Stafford said there was not a particular offseason incident that caused the condition, which apparently flared while training between the time the Rams returned from Maui in June and the start of training camp in late July.
“It wasn’t like one thing where I knew right away,” he said. “Just kind of something that crept up on me a little bit.”
Stafford said he had done “everything under the sun” to be able to return to the field.
Asked if he expected to be ready for the Sept. 7 opener against the Houston Texans, he said, “I’m not going to answer questions like that. … It’s probably a day-to-day thing. I’m just doing everything I can to try and be out there for the next practice.”
Rams coach Sean McVay, left, talks with quarterback Matthew Stafford, right, during training camp in Woodland Hills on Thursday.
(Gary Klein / Los Angeles Times)
Stafford’s return to the field began on Monday, two days after he did not go through a scheduled individual throwing session. Stafford recovered well enough from Monday’s workout to practice again on Tuesday. He participated in a team jogthrough on Wednesday, and then went through a full practice on Thursday.
Throughout the week, he looked sharp and showed no discernible signs of discomfort or limitations.
“I’ve seen a guy that’s gotten better and better,” McVay said. “He looks like the stud that we know.”
Stafford’s availability will be paramount for a team aiming to return to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2021-22 season, when Stafford led the Rams to a victory in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium.
During the offseason, the Rams adjusted Stafford’s contract — he will carry a salary-cap number of $47.5 million this season, according to Overthecap.com — because they believe that with the addition of star receiver Davante Adams and a rising defense, they have a shot at another title.
During training camp and joint practices with the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints, veteran Jimmy Garoppolo took first-team snaps in place of Stafford. Third-year pro Stetson Bennett also made major strides during training camp and two preseason starts.
Yet Stafford’s availability and performance will dictate whether the Rams can improve their performance from last season, when they advanced to the NFC divisional round before losing to the eventual Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles.
So the Rams and Stafford must manage the back issue.
The Rams play their final preseason game at Cleveland on Saturday, but Stafford — and perhaps other veterans — will not travel, McVay said.
Stafford sounded as if managing this back issue will be nothing new for a quarterback who played through numerous injuries during 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions and four with the Rams.
“There’s soreness all over the place, every time I wake up,” he joked. “It’s something that I’ll manage like I do a million other things throughout the year.”
Matthew Stafford’s second day of practice lacked the anticipation and drama of the first.
But Tuesday’s performance was a milestone nonetheless for the star quarterback and a Rams team with designs on a Super Bowl title.
The biggest takeaway: Stafford’s injured back responded positively to Monday’s one-hour workout, enabling the 17th-year pro to play with even more confidence as the Rams prepare for their Sept. 7 opener against the Houston Texans.
“The reality is we’re trying to get our hands on this and get him to feel as good as possible,” coach Sean McVay said. “Backs can be a volatile thing. This is definitely positive progress. … It certainly is trending in a positive direction for us.”
Stafford, 37, had been sidelined since the start of training camp because of what McVay has described as an aggravated disc. McVay has said that Stafford received an epidural injection a few weeks ago, but on Tuesday he declined to specify if he had received another.
Stafford was not made available to reporters.
Rams players welcomed the return of a quarterback who ranks among the NFL’s otp 10 in several career passing categories.
“Any time that man walks into a huddle, he just brings presence,” veteran right tackle Rob Havenstein said Tuesday. “So it’s great to see him out there doing his thing.”
Stafford has plenty of experience. But “repetition is the mother of learning,” McVay said, so Stafford’s ability to read coverages, feel the pass rush and escape a collapsing pocket at full speed in practice helps him continue to develop.
“I don’t care whether you’re Matthew Stafford, whether you’re Steph Curry — whoever you are,” McVay said. “These guys get great at their sports by being able to play it.”
So McVay is eager for Stafford to take as many reps as possible before the opener.
“I’ll be just like, I think, a lot of fans and a lot of his teammates and coaches,” McVay said, “that you’re really hopeful that this is the direction … so we can build a good foundation and allow him to be the Matthew that we’re accustomed to seeing.”
Etc.
Left tackle Alaric Jackson, who is dealing with blood clot issues, continues to do individual work with trainers. “His focus and concentration is being ready to go for Week 1,” McVay said, “and that would be a great situation for us if that’s the case.” … Receiver Davante Adams had a veterans day off from practice.
From Kevin Baxter: The half-empty Dodger clubhouse was so quiet you could hear a winning streak snap Monday. But amid the silence there was one conversation that spoke volumes.
After a 4-3 walk-off loss to the last-place Colorado Rockies — a loss set up by two poor plays from right fielder Teoscar Hernández — Mookie Betts met with manager Dave Roberts and Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, in Roberts’ office.
Betts, the Dodgers shortstop, is a six-time Gold Glove winner in right field. Hernández is not. On Monday, Hernández threw to the wrong base in the third inning, allowing the Rockies to score their second run, and in the ninth he was unable to hold Ezequiel Tovar’s bloop double. Two pitches later, Warming Bernabel bounced a single up to middle, scoring Tovar to end the game.
The Betts conversation afterward was private. But the circumstances that led to it were not. Clearly the bullpen is not the Dodgers’ only problem.
“He’s got to get better out there. There’s just no way to put it,” Roberts said of Hernández. “It’s not a lack of effort. But, you know, we’ve just got to kind of get better. We do.”
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ANGELS
Gavin Lux hit an early two-run homer and the Cincinnati Reds used three leadoff triples to beat the Angels 4-1 on Monday night.
TJ Friedl had a leadoff single in the first inning off Victor Mederos, making his second career start, and Lux followed with his fifth homer for a 2-0 lead.
Elly De La Cruz led off the fifth with his fourth triple this season before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Austin Hays to make it 3-1. Hays tripled in the third but was stranded.
Scott Barlow replaced Luis Mey with two on and two outs in the eighth and struck out Jo Adell swinging to keep it 4-1. Barlow fanned three more in the ninth for his first save this season.
From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: The Great Depression threatened the 1932 Olympics. A pandemic raged during the 2021 Tokyo Games. Parisians planned a “poop protest” in the Seine before the 2024 Games.
From natural disasters, construction woes or unpopular opinion, every Olympics has faced threats in the planning process.
Yet nearly every time, the city, ready or not, still hosted the Games.
With less than three years before the L.A. Olympics, calls on social media for the city to withdraw or cancel have intensified. Wildfires devastated Pacific Palisades and Altadena in January. L.A. had to balance a $1-billion deficit. Immigration raids have put communities on edge while President Trump has threatened further military intervention.
But Olympic preparations press forward. So invested in the success of the 2028 Games, the International Olympic Committee allowed venue naming rights for the first time in history. LA28, the private group responsible for organizing the Games, has contracted more than 70% of its $2.5-billion sponsorship goal, with more deals coming.
Stafford, sidelined since the start of training camp because of a back issue, practiced Monday for the first time.
That qualified as an unexpected and momentous development for the Rams as they prepare for their Sept. 7 opener against the Houston Texans at SoFi Stadium.
Stafford, 37, went through individual and team drills with the first-team offense. The 17th-year pro was a full participant, but he did not speak to reporters afterward.
From Ryan Kartje: When they chose to continue their college careers, both USC offensive lineman DJ Wingfield and UCLA wide receiver Kaedin Robinson thought the courts and NCAA had cleared the way for them to play a fifth season of football.
USC had told Wingfield as much, offering him $210,000 in NIL to join the Trojans’ offensive line. UCLA, meanwhile, offered Robinson $450,000 to be one of the Bruins’ top wideouts.
But after first seeing their waivers rejected in the spring, then suing the NCAA this summer, a U.S. District Court judge has now shut the door on either Wingfield or Robinson suiting up this fall.
1909 — The first race is held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Twelve-thousand spectators watch Austrian engineer Louis Schwitzer win a five-mile race with an average speed of 57.4 miles per hour. The track’s surface of crushed rock and tar breaks up in a number of places and causes the deaths of two drivers, two mechanics and two spectators.
1934 — Helen Hull Jacobs wins the women’s title in the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association championships.
1981 — Renaldo Nehemiah sets the world record in the 110 hurdles with a time of 12.93 seconds in a meet at Zurich, Switzerland.
1984 — Lee Trevino beats Gary Player and Lanny Wadkins by four strokes to take the PGA championship at Shoal Creek, Alabama.
1993 — Sergei Bubka wins his fourth consecutive pole vault title at the World Track and Field championships at Stuttgart, Germany.
1995 — Mike Tyson starts his comeback, knocking out Peter McNeeley in 89 seconds at Las Vegas. McNeeley’s manager Vinnie Vecchione jumps into the ring to stop the fight after his boxer is knocked down twice in the first round.
2001 — Michael Schumacher gets his fourth Formula One championship and matches Alain Prost’s series record of 51 victories by winning the Hungarian Grand Prix.
2004 — American swimmer Michael Phelps wraps up the 200/400m individual medley double at the Athens Olympics when he wins the 200m (1:57.14 OR) ahead of teammate Ryan Lochte.
2016 — Usain Bolt scores another sweep, winning three gold medals in his third consecutive Olympics. At the Rio de Janeiro Games, Bolt turns a close 4×100 relay race against Japan and the United States into a typical, Bolt-like runaway, helping Jamaica cross the line in 37.27 seconds. Allyson Felix wins an unprecedented fifth gold medal in women’s track and field, running the second leg of the 4×100-meter relay team.
2018 — Novak Đoković beats Roger Federer 6-4, 6-4 in the final of the Cincinnati Masters to become the first player to win all 9 Masters 1,000 tennis tournaments since the series started in 1990.
2018 — Jockey Drayden Van Dyke wins a record-tying seven races at Del Mar, including the $200,000 Del Mar Mile. He ties Hall of Famer Victor Espinoza for most wins in a single day in the seaside track’s history. Van Dyke’s only loss in eight mounts comes when he finishes second in the sixth race.
THIS DAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1909 — The Philadelphia Phillies were rained out for the 10th consecutive day, a major league record.
1913 — The Chicago Cubs tagged Grover Alexander for nine straight hits and six runs for a 10-4 triumph over the Philadelphia Phillies.
1921 — Detroit’s Ty Cobb got his 3,000th career hit at age 34, the youngest player to reach that plateau. The milestone hit was a single off Elmer Myers of the Boston Red Sox.
1934 — Moose Solters of the Boston Red Sox hit for the cycle in an 8-6 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park.
1951 — Eddie Gaedel, a 65-pound midget who was 3-foot-7, made his first and only plate appearance as a pinch-hitter for Frank Saucier of the St. Louis Browns. Gaedel wearing No. 1/8 was walked on four pitches by Detroit Tigers pitcher Bob Cain and then was taken out for pinch-runner Jim Delsing. The gimmick by Browns owner Bill Veeck was completely legal, but later outlawed.
1957 — New York Giants owner Horace Stoneham announced that the team’s board of directors had voted 8-1 in favor of moving to San Francisco. The Giants would start the 1958 season in Seals Stadium.
1965 — Jim Maloney of the Cincinnati Reds no-hit the Cubs 1-0, in 10 innings in the first game of a doubleheader at Chicago. Leo Cardenas homered in the 10th for the Reds.
1969 — Ken Holtzman of the Cubs blanked the Atlanta Braves with a 3-0 no-hitter at Wrigley Field. Ron Santo’s three-run homer in the first inning provided the Cubs’ offense.
1990 — Bobby Thigpen recorded his 40th save as the Chicago White Sox beat the Texas Rangers 4-2. Thigpen became the eighth — and fastest — to accomplish this feat.
1992 — Bret Boone made history when he became part of the first three-generation family to play in major league baseball. Boone is the grandson of Ray Boone, who played from 1948-60, and son of Bob Boone, from 1972-90. Bret, 23, completed the triangle when he started at second base for the Seattle Mariners against Baltimore.
2007 — Johan Santana finished with a franchise-record 17 strikeouts in eight innings to help Minnesota edge Texas 1-0.
2009 — Florida reached 10 hits for the 15th straight game in a 6-3 loss at Houston, matching the longest streak since the St. Louis Browns had one that long in 1937. The Marlins were held to four hits the next game.
2011 — LaGrange, Ky., starter Griffin McLarty struck out 12 and hit a homer in a 1-0 victory over the hometown favorites from Clinton County in the Little League World Series at South Williamsport, Pa. The game drew 41,848 fans, breaking the record of 40,000 set in the 1989 and 1990 championship games.
2016 — Jose Altuve homered and had five RBIs, and the Houston Astros beat the Baltimore Orioles 15-8 despite allowing four home runs in the first inning. The Orioles became the first team in the modern era (since 1900) to open a game with four home runs before making an out. Adam Jones hit Collin McHugh’s first pitch into the seats in left field and Hyun Soo Kim singled before Manny Machado, Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo homered in succession.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at [email protected]. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
From Jack Harris: It was a sight that’s been all too rare this season, coming precisely when the Dodgers needed it most.
Mookie Betts, bat in hand, game on the line. A swing as smooth as it was strong, his two-handed finish sending the ball out of sight.
For so much of this year, the Dodgers have been picking Betts up amid a career-worst season at the plate.
On Sunday afternoon, with a rivalry game and division lead hanging in the balance, he returned the favor with his biggest moment in what felt like ages.
After once leading by four, then watching the San Diego Padres claw back to tie the score, the Dodgers completed a weekend series sweep on Betts’ go-ahead home run in the eighth.
The no-doubt, 394-foot, stadium-shaking blast sent the Dodgers to a 5-4 win and gave them a two-game lead in the National League West; and had Betts skipping around the bases with a swagger that has been missing for much of the campaign.
“It’s been a long time,” Betts said — since he had delivered such a clutch hit, looked so much like his old self at the dish, and trusted a swing that has frustrated him since the earliest days of the season.
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ANGELS
Jo Adell hit a three-run homer in the first inning and kicked off a six-run tenth with an RBI single as the Angels beat the Athletics 11-5 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.
Kenley Jansen (5-2) struck out two in a scoreless ninth to give him 1,268 for his career, the fourth-most strikeouts by a reliever in major league history.
In the 10th, automatic runner Mike Trout advanced to third on a passed ball, Taylor Ward walked and Adell lined a single to center against Michael Kelly (2-2) to make it 6-5. Christian Moore drove in his third run of the game with a grounder and Luis Rengifo followed with a two-run triple off Ben Bowden. Bryce Tedosio added a sacrifice fly and Zach Neto capped the scoring with a 436-foot homer to left-center, his 21st.
From Ben Bolch: There were some breakdowns before UCLA broke training camp.
Don’t worry, these were the poignant, bring-everyone-together kind.
As part of coach DeShaun Foster’s efforts to connect a team featuring 55 new players and eight new assistant coaches, everyone participated in a series of brotherhood meetings over the last two weeks at the team hotel in Costa Mesa.
Coaches stood before the entire team, sharing anecdotes about their experiences in the game. Players told their stories in more intimate position-group settings run by a coach from a different position.
“A lot of tears,” Foster said Saturday before his team’s final camp session. “So I just like that the players were being vulnerable and letting their guard down because they saw the coaches do it. So, you know, I just think that really brought us together and we’re gonna see if it worked.”
From Ira Gorawara: Kristen Nuss was covered in sand, dulling her neon two-piece swimsuit. A white lei hung around her neck as she attempted to balance her champion’s plaque awkwardly in one hand.
“This thing is heavy,” she said, “my arm is getting sore.”
Despite her and partner Taryn Brasher repeating as AVP Manhattan Beach Open champions — grinding out a 15-21, 21-18, 15-13 victory over former USC standouts Megan Kraft and Terese Cannon — on Sunday, the weight of both the hardware and the title wasn’t lost on Nuss.
“This is Wimbledon,” Nuss said. “It’s the granddaddy of them all. My mom always said she wanted me to play at Wimbledon. … This is definitely one of the most coveted trophies right here.”
From Jad El Reda: Her name was etched in the memory of millions thanks to her role as Gabrielle Solís in “Desperate Housewives,” a series that established Eva Longoria as one of the most influential Latina actresses in Hollywood.
She went on to become a producer, director, entrepreneur, activist and, in recent years, an investor in the world of sports, where she has earned the nickname “La Patrona” — or “The Boss” in English — which easily could be the title of a Mexican soap opera.
After more than two decades of credits and awards earned in the entertainment industry, Longoria has shifted her focus. Today, her role as “La Patrona” of Liga MX team Club Necaxa draws on her family’s roots, her passion for storytelling and her commitment to giving Mexico visibility in the world.
Her involvement was not limited to serving on Necaxa’s board of directors as a celebrity investor. From the beginning, she knew she wanted to tell a story. Inspired by Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds’ “Welcome to Wrexham” docuseries, she decided to produce the the docuseries “Necaxa,” which premiered on Aug. 7 on FX. Cameras take viewers behind the scenes, follow along on road trips and offer an intimate look at the soccer team.
Few could have imagined a Mexican American actress would become the leading front office voice for a historic Mexican soccer club, whose home stadium — Estadio Victoria — is located in the city of Aguascalientes in north-central Mexico.
Sonia Citron tied her career high with five three-pointers and finished with 24 points, Kiki Iriafen added 18 points and 10 rebounds and the Washington Mystics beat the Sparks 95-86 on Sunday.
Iriafen has 12 double-doubles this season and set a franchise rookie record for most games (six) with at least 15 points and 10-plus rebounds.
Shakira Austin had 14 points and Jade Melbourne, who fouled out with less than two minutes left, scored 11 for Washington (16-18).
1923 — Helen Mills, 17, ends Molla Bjurstedt Mallory’s domination of the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association championships and starts her own with a 6-2, 6-1 victory.
1958 — Floyd Patterson knocks out Roy Harris in the 13th round at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles to retain his world heavyweight title.
1964 — The International Olympic Committee bans South Africa from competing in the Summer Olympics because of its apartheid policies.
1994 — South Africa is introduced for the first time in 36 years during the opening ceremonies of the 15th Commonwealth Games held in Victoria, British Columbia. South Africa had been banned from the Games since 1958 because of its apartheid policies.
1995 — Thirteen-year-old Dominique Moceanu becomes the youngest to win the National Gymnastics Championships senior women’s all-around title in New Orleans.
2004 — Paul Hamm wins the men’s gymnastics all-around Olympic gold medal by the closest margin ever in the event. Controversy follows after it was discovered a scoring error that may have cost Yang Tae-young of South Korea the men’s all-around title. Yang, who finished with a bronze, is wrongly docked a tenth of a point on his second-to-last routine, the parallel bars. He finishes third, 0.049 points behind Hamm, who becomes the first American man to win gymnastics’ biggest prize.
2008 — A day after winning an Olympic gold medal in Beijing, Rafael Nadal officially unseats Roger Federer to become the world’s No. 1 tennis player when the ATP rankings are released. Federer had been atop the rankings for 235 weeks.
2013 — For the first time in Solheim Cup history, the Europeans leave America with the trophy. Caroline Hedwall becomes the first player in the 23-year history of the event to win all five matches. She finishes with a 1-up victory over Michelle Wie and gives Europe the 14 points it needed to retain the cup.
2013 — Usain Bolt is perfect again with three gold medals. The Jamaican great becomes the most successful athlete in the 30-year history of the world championships. The 4×100-meter relay gold erases the memories of the 100 title he missed out on in South Korea two years ago because of a false start. Bolt, who already won the 100 and 200 meters, gets his second such sprint triple at the world championships, matching the two he achieved at the Olympics.
2016 — Jamaica’s Usain Bolt completes an unprecedented third consecutive sweep of the 100 and 200-meter sprints, elevating his status as the most decorated male sprinter in Olympic history. He wins the 200-meter race with a time of 19.78 seconds to defeat Andre de Grasse of Canada. American Ashton Eaton defends his Olympic decathlon title, equaling the games record with a surge on the last lap of the 1,500 meters — the last event in the two-day competition. Helen Maroulis defeats Japan’s Saori Yoshida 4-1 in the 53-kilogram freestyle final to win the first-ever gold medal for a United States women’s wrestler.
2018 — Accelerate cruises to a record 12 1/2-length victory in the $1-million Pacific Classic at Del Mar, becoming just the third horse to sweep all three of Southern California’s major races for older horses in the same year.
THIS DAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1915 — Boston opened Braves Field with a 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.
1931 — New York’s Lou Gehrig played in his 1,000th consecutive game. Gehrig went hitless in the 5-4 loss to Detroit.
1948 — Brooklyn’s Rex Barney pitched a one-hitter for a 1-0 win over Robin Roberts and the Philadelphia Phillies at Shibe Park.
1956 — The Cincinnati Reds hit eight home runs and the Milwaukee Braves added two to set a National League record for home runs by two clubs in a nine-inning night game. Bob Thurman’s three homers and double led the Reds in the 13-4 rout.
1960 — Lew Burdette of the Milwaukee Braves pitched a no-hitter, beating the Philadelphia Phillies 1-0. Burdette faced the minimum 27 batters.
1965 — Hank Aaron of Milwaukee hit Curt Simmons’ pitch on top of the pavilion roof at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis for an apparent home run. However, umpire Chris Pelekoudas called him out for being out of the batter’s box when he connected. Nevertheless, the Braves won the game 5-3.
1967 — California’s Jack Hamilton hit Tony Conigliaro on his left cheekbone with a fastball in the fourth inning of a 3-2 loss to Boston. Conigliaro was carried unconscious from the field and missed the remainder of the 1967 season and the entire 1968 season. The 22-year-old already had more than 100 home runs.
1977 — Don Sutton of the Dodgers pitched his fifth one-hitter to tie the National League record. Sutton gave up a two-out single in the eighth inning to San Francisco’s Marc Hill. The Dodgers won 7-0.
1995 — Tom Henke became the seventh pitcher to reach 300 career saves, surviving a rally by the Atlanta Braves in the ninth inning of the St. Louis Cardinals’ 4-3 victory.
2000 — Darin Erstad of the Angels made a spectacular, game-saving catch in the 10th inning and followed it with a homer in the 11th as the Angels defeated the New York Yankees 9-8.
2006 — Alfonso Soriano became the third player in major league history to have at least four seasons of 30 homers and 30 stolen bases, and the Washington Nationals beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-4.
2007 — Micah Owings went 4-for-5, including a pair of mammoth homers, drove in six runs and scored four times while pitching three-hit ball through seven innings as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Atlanta Braves 12-6.
2011 — Mike Jacobs became the first player suspended by Major League Baseball for a positive HGH test under the sport’s minor league drug testing procedures. The 30-year-old minor league first baseman, who was in the big leagues from 2005-10, received a 50-game suspension for taking the banned performance-enhancing substance and was subsequently released by the Colorado Rockies.
2017 — Manny Machado capped a three-homer night with a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning, and the Baltimore Orioles rallied past the Angels 9-7 in a game that featured 10 home runs.
2018 — New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom pitched his first complete game of the season and lowered his major league-leading ERA to 1.71 with a 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.
2019 — Zack Grenke records the 200th win of his career as the Astros defeat the Athletics 4-1.
2021 — Shohei Ohtani continues to do it all by himself on the field. Today, he becomes the first hitter in the majors to reach 40 homers this season, and also improves his record on the mound to 8-1 as he pitches 8 full innings for the first time of his career. The Angels defeat the Tigers, 3-1.
2021 — Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman hit for the cycle for the second time in his career as they beat the Miami Marlins 11-9.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at [email protected]. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Stafford, who has been sidelined since the start of training camp because of a back issue, practiced Monday for the first time.
Matthew Stafford stretches during practice at the Rams’ facility in Woodland Hills on Monday.
(Gary Klein / Los Angeles Times)
Stafford, 37, went through individual and team drills with the first-team offense. The 17th-year pro was a full participant in practice, but did not speak to reporters afterward.
“It was good to be able to have Matthew out there,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “There are no updates. We’re going to take it a day, a week at a time. “
On Aug. 9. Stafford went through an individual workout that included throwing more than 60 passes. But he was unable to practice two days later as scheduled.
The Rams open the season on Sept. 7 against the Houston Texans at SoFi Stadium.
A team spokesman declined to comment, saying McVay would address the situation on Monday.
So the Stafford saga plays on, incrementally worsening as the Sept. 7 opener against the Houston Texans draws near.
Stafford, 37, is preparing for his 17th NFL season.
Check that: He would be if not for a back issue that has prevented him from taking a single snap or throwing a single pass during a team practice.
In late July, when the Rams reported to training camp at Loyola Marymount and Stafford’s back issue came to light, the situation was cause for concern.
For everyone, it seemed, but McVay.
The Rams had a plan, he said. He was not concerned. Stafford would not practice for the first week, but he would be out there with teammates in Week 2.
It did not happen.
Nearly a month later, it still hasn’t.
McVay said last week that the Rams were “trying to get our hands around” the situation.
But time is becoming shorter.
The Rams are three weeks away from the season opener at SoFi Stadium.
Jimmy Garoppolo has taken first-team snaps during team workouts and joint practices with the Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints. Bennett has started preseason games against the Cowboys and the Chargers.
Garoppolo led the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl. Bennett is playing with the confidence he displayed while leading Georgia to two national titles.
With a physically sound Stafford, the Rams would be regarded as a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
With Garoppolo or Bennett…
How much time Stafford would need to be ready for the opener is an open question.
Three weeks? Two? One?
No one questions Stafford’s toughness or grit. Or his desire to win another Super Bowl.
But for now, his physical condition and availability — and the Rams’ prospects this season and beyond — remain in doubt.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford walks on the field before a preseason win over the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 9.
(Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford was scheduled to work out on Saturday, a chance for the 17th-year pro to test his injured back.
But before the Rams played the Chargers at SoFi Stadium, when asked to confirm whether Stafford went through the workout, a Rams official declined to comment and said coach Sean McVay would address the situation Monday.
It was the latest mysterious and potentially troublesome turn in a saga that began at the start of training camp and continues as the Rams prepare for their Sept. 7 opener against the Houston Texans at SoFi Stadium.
Stafford, 37, is working through an aggravated disc, according to McVay, a situation that has prevented him from practicing with the team.
Last Saturday, before the Rams’ preseason opener against the Dallas Cowboys, Stafford went through a workout in Woodland Hills that included more than 60 passes, McVay said after the Rams’ 31-21 victory. The plan was for Stafford to participate in individual drills two days later.
But Stafford did not practice last week. And after a joint practice with the New Orleans Saints on Thursday, McVay said Stafford would go through another workout in Woodland Hills on Saturday.
Aubrey Pleasant, the Rams assistant head coach, served as head coach for the game against the Chargers and appeared for the postgame news conference. McVay was not made available to reporters.
Third-year wide receiver Quentin Johnston was carted off the field after taking a big hit during the Chargers’ opening drive against the Rams in a preseason game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday.
Johnston was trying to haul in a pass from quarterback Justin Herbert when he was hit by Rams safety Tanner Ingle.
After staying down on the field for several minutes, Johnston stood up and was walking under his own power and talking to trainers and doctors before getting onto a cart and leaving the field.
Rookie KeAndre Lambert-Smith took over for Johnston on the drive.
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh elected to play most of his starters Saturday. Along with Ladd McConkey and Keenan Allen, Johnston is expected to play a leading role in the Chargers’ passing game this season after recording 55 catches for 711 yards and eight touchdowns in 2024.
Rams coach Sean McVay will evaluate roster hopefuls on Saturday when the Rams play the Chargers in a preseason game at SoFi Stadium.
But as was the case last week when the Rams played the Dallas Cowboys, the most important evaluation will occur hours before kickoff at the Rams’ Woodland Hills training facility.
And McVay and the Rams are hopeful that the aftermath of the session will be better than the last.
According to McVay, during Stafford’s first throwing session, the 17th-year pro looked “awesome.”
That’s not how Stafford — or the Rams — felt in the days that followed: Stafford did not begin practicing as scheduled.
There are still three weeks remaining before the Sept. 7 opener against the Houston Texans at SoFi Stadium. So there is still plenty of time for one of the NFL’s most experienced players to prepare for the opener and the 16 games that will follow.
A painless recovery from Saturday’s workout would be a start.
Here are five things to watch during Saturday’s game:
Will the Rams neutralize Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert?
Since McVay does not play starters or other significant players during preseason games, that means drafted rookies and others hoping to make an impression will get the opportunity to do so against frontline players for several snaps.
Rams rookie linebacker Chris “Pooh” Paul is expected to again call defensive signals, and rookie edge rusher Josaiah Stewart is aiming for his second sack.
Cornerbacks Derion Kendrick, Shaun Jolly, Josh Wallace and Cam Lampkin could go against veteran receiver Kennan Allen.
Can quarterback Stetson Bennett continue to play with efficiency?
Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett throws a pass to wide receiver Britain Covey at SoFi Stadium on Aug. 9.
Bennett does not have to be spectacular to give McVay at least some confidence that he could manage the offense if Stafford does not recover from his back issue and if veteran Jimmy Garoppolo suffers an injury.
Bennett’s renewed confidence was evident during training camp and against the Cowboys. It was on full display when, after dumping a third-down pass rather than forcing it, he came back on fourth down and connected with receiver Xavier Smith for a long gain.
Is Cody Schrader on track to make the running back rotation?
Rams running back Cody Schrader carries the all past Cowboys defensive back Mike Smith during a preseason game.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
It is clear that McVay wants to see how Blake Corum and rookie Jarquez Hunter would fit as back-ups for starter Kyren Williams.
And with veteran Ronnie Rivers suffering a rib injury against the Cowboys, the door is open for Schrader to continue to impress.
Schrader rushed for a team-best 59 yards in five carries against the Cowboys and turned a pass reception into a nine-yard touchdown. He also played 13 special teams snaps.
Last season, the Rams claimed Schrader off waivers from the San Francisco 49ers at the end of training camp, and then kept him on the roster to prevent other teams from signing him off the practice squad.
Can receiver Xavier Smith lock down a spot?
The Rams’ Xavier Smith, right, is battling for a role in the team’s receiving rotation.
(Stephen Brashear / Associated Press)
On a certain level, it seems like a foregone conclusion.
Smith stepped up and performed in seemingly every opportunity as a special teams player and receiver last season. Now he is aiming to find a spot in a receiver group that includes Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington.
Rookie receiver Konata Mumpfield got most of the compliments from coaches and players during training camp as Smith quietly built his case.
Mumpfield struggled in his first preseason game, but it would not be surprising if he makes adjustments and takes a big step against the Chargers.
How will Aubrey Pleasant handle head coach duties?
Rams defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant leaves the field after beating the Chargers last preseason.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
This is the second year in a row that McVay has given Pleasant, who oversees defensive backs and also holds the title of assistant head coach, the opportunity to be the head coach for a preseason game against the Chargers.
Pleasant will meet with game officials, handle pregame and halftime addresses to the team, oversee game management and handle postgame media responsibilities.
Matthew Stafford didn’t participate in the Rams’ joint practice with the New Orleans Saints on Thursday in Carson, but the team hopes he can take meaningful steps this weekend toward a return from injury.
Stafford, who has missed the entirety of training camp because of an aggravated disc in his back, is scheduled to work out Saturday, coach Sean McVay told reporters. The workout will be similar to one Stafford had on Aug. 9 when he threw more than 60 passes, McVay said.
McVay described that workout as “awesome” and was hopeful Stafford would return to practice this week. But the 37-year-old signal-caller didn’t feel up to the task Monday and has sat out of practice this week.
“Hopefully, [his back] responds a little bit better,” McVay said.
McVay added the Rams are still “trying to get our hands around” all aspects of the injury.
“So I don’t really have much more information other than … we’re trying some different things that are hopefully going to be in alignment with getting him back out on the field.”
The Rams continue the preseason Saturday against the Chargers at SoFi Stadium at 4 p.m.
A storybook ending. A cathartic late-game breakthrough. The kind of dramatic, momentum-shifting triumph to finally give the Dodgers some much-needed life.
In the top of the ninth inning at Angel Stadium on Tuesday night, Shohei Ohtani lifted the team to the verge of a narrative-changing victory, breaking a tie score with the kind of swing that could have catapulted them into the season’s closing stretch.
With former Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen on the mound, and a split crowd in Anaheim rising to its feet, Ohtani blasted a go-ahead home run deep to right field. He flipped his bat and emphatically smacked his hands together. He screamed toward a euphoric Dodgers dugout that was going raucously wild.
“Big hit right there,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Obviously, you felt it in the dugout.”
What the Dodgers felt next, however, might last much longer.
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SPARKS
From Ira Gorawara: Almost hidden in a mocha pair of sweatpants and sweatshirt, and wearing those same fire-red Air Jordans from his Aug. 4 return to Los Angeles, Clippers royalty Chris Paul adorned the Sparks’ bench.
And though the 20-year veteran barely lifted a palm — leaving the cheering to his wife and daughter — Paul’s court savvy still seemed to seep across the hardwood, finding its way to the Sparks’ Kelsey Plum.
Plum, who can very well be the tale of any Sparks game, but “chooses to win,” as coach Lynne Roberts says, seemed to be scoring and assisting at will through a coast-to-coast battle against the New York Liberty, a tug-of-war that stayed taut until the rope finally slipped from the Sparks’ grasp, 105-97.
About three minutes before halftime, Brink sat on the bench while trainers wrapped her left ankle during a Sparks timeout. She never joined the team’s halftime huddle as play resumed after the break, and when she finally emerged at the 6:17 mark in the third quarter, she watched the rest of the game from her seat.
From Eduard Cauich: Jaime Jaquez Jr., who is preparing for his third season in the NBA with the Miami Heat, and his sister Gabriela Jaquez, a standout player for the UCLA Bruins and the Mexican national basketball team, set aside their own workouts to lead others through some familiar drills.
The siblings recently hosted a summer camp for about 180 participants ages 6 to 16 at the Sports Academy facilities in Thousand Oaks. The three-hour camp aimed to promote basketball skills, discipline and a passion for the sport among children and teens. Some participants traveled from other states to attend the camp.
“It’s good to come back and give something back to the community, especially in a place where we grew up. Being able to do this is special,” said Jaime, who grew up in Camarillo, shone for four years at UCLA and has represented Mexico in international tournaments.
As a rookie, Ladd McConkey studied Allen’s practice film on his team-issued iPad, trying to absorb lessons from one of the league’s best route runners — the very player whose rookie records for receptions and receiving yards McConkey would eventually surpass.
“You sit in team meetings, pull up your iPad and just watch,” McConkey said. “Watching his one-on-one stuff from previous years, when he was here. I’m going to check this out, see what he’s got.”
Now, the 33-year-old Allen and 23-year-old McConkey are inseparable on the field. Throughout practice, McConkey picks the veteran’s brain — something he says “would be dumb if I didn’t.”
From Kevin Baxter: The Galaxy are the worst team in Major League Soccer. That’s not subjective opinion, it’s objective fact. Just look at the MLS standings, where the Galaxy are dead last after Sunday’s 4-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders, a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the score would indicate.
But the Galaxy are also one of the four best teams in Major League Soccer. That, too, is not subjective opinion but objective fact because, after an unbeaten run through Leagues Cup group play, the Galaxy are one of just four MLS teams to advance to the tournament quarterfinals.
How can both things be true simultaneously? That’s a good question — and one that can be only be answered subjectively.
“It takes time for a group to come together and a team to find out who they are,” Galaxy general manager Will Kuntz offered. “We had to discover ourselves a little bit.”
1919 — Upset scores a win against Man o’ War in the Sanford Memorial Stakes at Saratoga. The defeat is Big Red’s only loss in 21 starts.
1933 — Gene Sarazen wins the PGA Championship by defeating Willie Goggin 5 and 4 in the final round.
1935 — The first roller derby begins in Chicago by promoter Leo Seltzer.
1987 — Jackie Joyner-Kersee equals the world record in the women’s long jump — 24 feet, 5½ inches — in the Pan American Games at Indianapolis. She matches the mark set in 1986 by Heike Dreschler of East Germany.
1995 — Cuba’s Ana Quirot, severely burned in a 1993 kitchen accident, wins the 800 meters at the world championships at Gothenburg, Sweden.
1995 — Steve Elkington shoots a final-round 64 and birdies the first playoff hole to beat Colin Montgomerie and win the PGA Championship. The 64 is the lowest final round by a PGA Championship winner.
1997 — Wilson Kipketer topples Sebastian Coe’s 16-year-old record in the 800 meters, finishing in 1 minute, 41.24 seconds in Zurich, Switzerland. Haile Gebrselassie also shatters his own 5,000 record with a time of 12 minutes, 41.86 seconds.
2002 — Natalie Coughlin breaks the 100-meter backstroke world record, timed in 59.58 seconds at the U.S. national championships. She is the first American to hold the world record since Catherine Ferguson in 1966.
2008 — Michael Phelps swims into history as the winningest Olympic athlete with his 10th and 11th career gold medals and five world records in five events at the Beijing Games. He wins the 200-meter butterfly and swims leadoff for the U.S. 800 freestyle relay team.
2016 — The U.S. women’s 4×100-meter medley relay team of Kathleen Baker, Lilly King, Dana Vollmer and Simone Manuel — winners at the Rio Games — delivers the nation’s 1,000th gold medal in Summer Olympics history.
2016—Michael Phelps closes the Rio Olympics with a gold medal in the butterfly leg of the 4×100 medley relay. Phelps finishes his career with 28 medals, having won five golds and a silver at these games.
THIS DAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1910 — The Brooklyn Dodgers and the Pittsburgh Pirates played to an 8-8 tie. Each team had 38 at-bats, 13 hits, 12 assists, two errors, five strikeouts, three walks, one hit batsman and one passed ball.
1921 — George Sisler of the St. Louis Browns became the first batter in American League history to hit for the cycle twice. Sisler went 5-for-5 and drove in three runs in a 7-5, 10-inning win over the Detroit Tigers.
1921 — John “Mule” Watson of the Boston Braves pitched two complete-game victories over the Philadelphia Phillies.
1931 — Tony Cuccinello of the Cincinnati Reds had six hits in six at-bats in the first game of a doubleheader at Boston. Cuccinello had a triple, two doubles and three singles to knock in five runs as the Reds won 17-3. Cuccinello hit a three-run homer in the eighth of the nightcap to give the Reds a 4-2 win.
1939 — The New York Yankees beat the Philadelphia Athletics 21-0 to equal the major-league record for lopsided shutouts. Every batter in the Yankees lineup hit safely. Joe DiMaggio and Babe Dahlgren had two home runs apiece, each hitting an inside-the-parker. Pitcher Red Ruffing had four hits and drove in three runs.
1948 — Satchel Paige, 42, pitched his first major league complete game against the Chicago White Sox. Paige gave up five hits en route to 5-0 Cleveland victory.
1957 — Milwaukee pitcher Lew Burdette hit his first two home runs to lead the Braves to a 12-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds.
1969 — Jim Palmer of the Orioles, plagued by arm trouble the year before, threw an 8-0 no-hitter against the Oakland A’s in Baltimore.
1979 — St. Louis’ Lou Brock reached 3,000 hits with an infield hit off Chicago Cubs pitcher Dennis Lamp. St. Louis won 3-2.
2004 — Kansas City rookies Abraham Nunez and John Buck hit grand slams to lead the Royals past the Oakland Athletics 10-3.
2005 — New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera blew his first save since April 6 in a 7-5 win over Texas. Rivera had converted a career-best 31 consecutive saves before allowing Kevin Mench’s two-run, tying single in the ninth.
2013 — Paul Goldschmidt hit the first pitch of the 11th inning for a game-ending home run after leading off the ninth with a tying homer, to help Arizona beat Baltimore 4-3 with a winning blast for the second straight night.
2015 — The Toronto Blue Jays won their 11th straight game, beating the Oakland Athletics 4-2. The AL East leaders also won 11 in a row in June, becoming the first team with winning streaks of at least 11 since Cleveland in 1954.
2016 — Tyler Austin and Aaron Judge became the first teammates to hit home runs in the first at-bats of their major league debuts in the same game, sparking the New York Yankees to an 8-4 win over Tampa Bay.
2018 — Ronald Acuna Jr. hit leadoff homers in both games of a doubleheader for the Atlanta Braves.
2020 — Mookie Betts hits three home runs for the sixth time in his career in an 11-2 win over the Padres. The three home run game ties Betts with Johnny Mize and Sammy Sosa for the most all-time although Betts reached the total in 813 games while Mize needed 1,884 and Sosa 2,364.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
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