Three Questions for the Rams Defense After Preseason Win

While it was due to Stetson Bennett's late-game heroics that led to the Los Angeles Rams' preseason win over the Los Angeles Chargers, that doesn't mean that their defense didn't put on a show to stop a Chargers offense that is a well-oiled machine at this point in the preseason. What are three questions after their performance?

Did the Rams Find a Hidden Gem?

It has now been two consecutive weeks that Rams linebacker Shaun Dolac has stolen the show on defense and has been one of the more consistent tacklers of the preseason. This week, he led the team with seven total tackles, with four of them being solo tackles. Last week, he also had seven total tackles, but only two of those were by himself.

The Rams already have one of the best young defenses in the NFL, and the fact that Dolac was an undrafted free agent pickup bodes well for their depth and future of being consistently one of the best defenses.

Dolac still has a lot of ground to make up in the depth chart, but so far, he has outplayed or had similar production to his competition. He could be another one of the Rams' hidden gems they seem to find in every draft, and a player to monitor during his rookie season.

Has Their Run Defense Improved?

Aug 16, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Trey Lance (5) throws a pass as center Josh Kaltenberger (63) and guard Nash Jones (62) block against the Los Angeles Rams in the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

One of the biggest problems for the Rams last season was that they were abysmal at stopping the run, and that led to their eventual demise in the playoffs against the Philadelphia Eagles. This offseason, their run-stopping ability was a huge priority, and through two weeks in the preseason, they look to have gotten better.

They are going up against backups, but the Chargers are a team that's looking to run the ball, and they shut down that part of their offense for the most part. Their running backs weren't given any room to run.

I was most impressed with how they were able to shut down Trey Lance's rushing ability. While he was still the team's rushing leader with 25 yards on four carries, it was a far cry from his performance against the New Orleans Saints last week, where he had 48 yards on the ground.

Will We See More of the Incoming Rookies?

May 28, 2025; Woodland Hills, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams offensive linebacker Josiah Stewart (41) runs a strength and conditioning drill during organized team activities at Rams Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Rams spent a significant portion of their few number of draft picks on defense, and through two weeks in the preseason, none of them have left that much of an impression. Will they play a bigger role in week three?

I think the Rams are trying to be as healthy as they can be for the upcoming season, and perhaps they're already so confident in their rookies that they don't need to go out there and compete for a roster spot.

Still, it would be encouraging to see more meaningful reps from Josaiah Stewart or Chris Paul Jr. Stewart had a sack in week one of the preseason; getting another one in week three may give him momentum heading into the regular season.

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