INGLEWOOD — There were many intriguing storylines heading into the Rams-Chargers preseason opener last year that made it more than a meaningless exhibition in August.
It was the first football game at SoFi Stadium with fans in attendance and it was also a reunion between Sean McVay and Brandon Staley, who made his debut as the Chargers’ head coach a year after serving as McVay’s defensive coordinator with the Rams.
But by the end of the clunky preseason matchup, Rams quarterback Bryce Perkins had taken the spotlight after delivering an electric scramble that included an emphatic stiff arm and ended with a hurdle over a Chargers defender to extend the drive in the fourth quarter. The Chargers held on to win, 13-6, for those keeping track of preseason scores.
A year later, Perkins will likely be the starting quarterback against the Chargers with Matthew Stafford and backup quarterback John Wolford scheduled to sit out, along with many other Rams starters.
Perkins wants to leave another lasting impression Saturday night at SoFi Stadium, but he wants to do it with his passes and he’s hoping second-year wide receiver Tutu Atwell will be on the receiving end of a few highlight throws.
The Rams drafted Atwell in the second round last year with the hope that he could develop into a consistent playmaker who had nothing to prove in exhibition games. That hasn’t happened yet because Atwell struggled as a rookie, but he made strides in training camp and now McVay wants to see his speedy wideout make plays against the Chargers, Houston Texans and Cincinnati Bengals in their three preseason games.
McVay will also keep a close eye on the rookies: offensive guard Logan Bruss, outside linebacker Daniel Hardy, offensive lineman AJ Arcuri and cornerbacks Derion Kendrick and Decobie Durant.
“I could go on and on about a lot of guys, but Tutu is a guy that’s done a really nice job,” McVay said.
Perkins and Atwell have built chemistry over the past year and it showed throughout training camp with Perkins hurling several deep balls for the Louisville product who had his rookie season cut short because of a shoulder injury.
“I think he’s made a big jump,” Perkins said of Atwell. “He’s so talented and gifted and fast, that any time that he’s on the field, it’s stressful for defenses. You don’t know how you’re going to play him. You can play him on the top and he can burst on his set down and come out of the break. You play him short, he’s going over the top. Just having him out there, it’s fun to have and he’s a great player.”
Perkins, the third-year quarterback, went deeper into the scouting report for the 5-foot-9 Atwell, who displayed toughness and sturdy hands on contested passes during training camp.
“His catch radius, he’s kinda smaller, but his arms are really long, so he can really pluck things out the air that are away from him, from the body,” Perkins said. “I think he’s made big jumps and I’m glad to see his growth and I’m excited to see how he grows in these next couple of weeks and months.”
Unlike Atwell, Perkins isn’t expected to contribute on the field for the Rams in 2022 because Stafford is the star quarterback and Wolford is the reliable backup, but McVay often praises Perkins for his improvements and he’s optimistic about Perkins creating opportunities for himself in the preseason, whether that’s with the Rams or elsewhere.
“Processing and seeing things and definitely understanding protection,” Perkins said about his improvements in the pocket. “From last year to this year, that’s something that I definitely made an emphasis on was protection. … Really trying to get the reps of staying in and working through your reads. When you’re going against the (first-team) defense, the pocket gets muddy, so more emphasis on staying in the pocket and throwing the ball around in practice.”
Quarterback Luis Perez, who rejoined the Rams on the first day of training camp, is also aiming to create opportunities for himself. He’s played in three different football leagues – the Alliance of American Football, XFL and the USFL – since his previous stint with the Rams in 2018.
“There was a lot of carryover from when I was here in 2018,” Perez said. “But you know, there are some new things. Ultimately, I feel back at home, to be honest. I feel comfortable. I feel good. Just excited to show all the work that I put in these last four years.”
Perkins, Perez and other unproven players for the Rams will be looking to put on a show Saturday night.
“I think the most important thing for us as coaches,” McVay said, “is that these players look back on that experience and say, ‘I was in an atmosphere and an environment where I felt believed in, positively pushed, and it was a good experience no matter how it ended up with us.’”
