Dissecting the importance of the Rams-Chargers preseason matchup

The Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers are set to do battle on August 26th, 2017 at the Coliseum. Although it is preseason, this game could hold greater implications.

The Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers will open their first chapter in their “Fight for LA” this Saturday. Although this fight will not be the most watched fight of the day (See: “The money fight“), it will give us football fans some interesting takeaways about the two teams. In what otherwise would be a pointless preseason game, this matchup holds much intrigue.

Both teams head into this game with very similar, yet different circumstances. Their records are exactly opposite; the Chargers winless and the Rams undefeated. They are both in a new system with new Head Coaches. Both teams have promising young running backs from the same draft class and both have a premiere rusher in either Aaron Donald or Joey Bosa.

Philip Rivers is 35, Jared Goff is 22. Rivers is older than Rams Head Coach Sean McVay and Chargers Head Coach Anthony Lynn broke into the NFL before Goff was even born.

We have the grizzled veteran chasing the ring that has always alluded him, in a brand new city under brighter lights. We also have the young, inexperienced rookie, who must also grow accustomed to the big city lights. While this preseason game does not mean much for either’s pursuit of success, the media has attempted to give it meaning for the Fight for LA.

Since the Chargers announced their relocation to LA back in January, this LA rivalry has been force-fed down our throats. The NFL, along with the Chargers and Rams, want to us to buy this narrative that the teams are battling for the support of a city without football for a fifth of a century.

Except, this does not seem like much of a fight. The Los Angeles Rams are playing in the comfortable Coliseum, which can hold as much as 93,000 fans. The Chargers, on the other hand, play at the StubHub Center; a soccer venue. There, Rivers’ and company can expect up to 27,000 fans. Although, that may be a stretch, as the preseason attendance has been a dud.

More from LA Sports

The Rams play in a stadium that can hold three and a half times more people than the Chargers, and when they do move, the Chargers will be playing in their stadium. This fight already seems over, and as a Charger fan myself, this is a tough pill to swallow.

In fact, like we saw in San Diego, it is evident that nobody cares about the Chargers. Yes, there is a core group of diehard fans, but have you ever heard anyone say the fans travel well? Has any Charger game felt the same after LaDainian Tomlinson’s departure? We all remember that Monday Night Football game against the Steelers where it seemed like Heinz Field, right?

Let’s face it, there are more Raider fans in Los Angeles than Charger fans. Heck, living in Southern California I have seen more supporters of the Cowboys, Seahawks, Patriots and Bronco fans than Charger fans. But, hey, maybe all those fans will hop on the bandwagon if the team ever wins, maybe.

Next: Sean McVay can change things for the better

All in all, this game means nothing in the larger scheme of things. The Chargers first team’s efficiency, as well as Jared Goff’s performance, should be the only takeaways Saturday Night. Otherwise, this will just be another reminder that the Chargers don’t belong in Los Angeles.

Home/LA Sports