Rams ground game shows more against the Raiders

INGLEWOOD — When Cam Akers tore an Achilles tendon close earlier grooming camp, it was wide instantly that Darrell Henderson volition regenerate him arsenic the Rams’ No. 1 moving back.

But a period later, it inactive wasn’t wide who volition regenerate Henderson arsenic the Rams’ trusty backup ballcarrier.

Nothing is definite yet aft the Rams’ preseason crippled against the Raiders astatine SoFi Stadium, but astatine slightest there’s much grounds that Xavier Jones would have  agleam moments successful the occupation and that Jake Funk won’t springiness up warring for it.

Jones showed moves and bursts of speed, gaining 27 yards connected 5 carries successful the archetypal 3 quarters, not to notation 30 connected 2 eye-catching carries that were wiped retired by Rams penalties. Funk stayed connected his feet tenaciously connected his mode to 37 yards connected six carries done 3 quarters, including a 12-yarder connected which helium broke 2 Raiders tackles.

The Rams and Raiders were tied 10-10 aft 3 quarters astatine deadline for this variation successful beforehand of a assemblage of 68,834 (tickets distributed) with a large practice of Las Vegas fans.

They got a coagulated show by backmost Bryce Perkins, who played the full archetypal 3 quarters aft splitting clip with Duck Hodges successful the preseason opener against the Chargers, and memorable showings by rookie extracurricular linebacker Chris Garrett and chemoreceptor tackle Bobby Brown III, portion of different bully effort by the backup defense.

Their anemic constituent was 8 Rams penalties successful the archetypal 2-1/2 quarters, astir of those connected the offense.

But a batch of the absorption was connected the the Rams’ crushed crippled a week aft the second-unit moving backs and corresponding violative enactment combined to averaged 2.8 yards per unreserved successful the preseason-opening nonaccomplishment to the Chargers.

They rapidly showed improvement.

This was important to see, due to the fact that fixed Henderson’s ain wounded history, the second-string moving backmost could play a captious relation successful 2021.

Each of the in-house candidates is 23 and hasn’t seen his archetypal NFL regular-season carry.

Jones and Funk are listed arsenic co-second-stringers astatine moving backmost connected the Rams extent chart. Raymond Calais has drawn attraction with his punt and kickoff returns, though helium muffed a punt Saturday. Calais near the crippled successful the 2nd fractional with an ankle injury.

Both Jones and Funk are fueled by memories of wounded setbacks.

Injuries outgo Jones assistance offers from bigger assemblage programs, and helium settled for a vocation astatine SMU, wherever helium led the federation with 23 rushing touchdowns arsenic a senior. That wasn’t capable to get him drafted. The Rams signed him arsenic a escaped cause successful 2020.

“I ever accidental I should person been drafted, but I can’t dwell connected that excessively much,” Jones said past week. “I consciousness similar God don’t marque nary mistakes. He enactment maine present for a reason. I’ve ever had to, I usage the phrase, ‘get it retired of the mud.’ It’s conscionable a mentality, that spot connected my shoulder. I’m acceptable to perform, acceptable to amusement my talent.”

Funk had 2 genu operations successful assemblage astatine Maryland, and hasn’t played a afloat play since 2017, 1 crushed helium dropped to the seventh circular successful past April’s draught earlier the Rams grabbed him.

“It’s a lonely spot (rehabbing injuries),” Funk said erstwhile helium reported for his archetypal Rams grooming camp. “I competed with myself time successful and time out. A batch of radical counted maine retired passim the process: ‘He’s wounded prone,’ things similar that. I conscionable continued to artifact that out. I’ll fto the results talk for themselves.”

The results looked amended Saturday than the Saturday before.

The time didn’t statesman good for the Rams. In the morning, they announced that some of their punters, Johnny Hekker and Corey Bojorquez, had been placed connected the Covid-19 reserve list.

Kicker Matt Gay, who punted successful precocious schoolhouse successful Utah, coiled up doing treble work successful the game.

His abbreviated punt retired of the extremity portion acceptable up a Raiders mini thrust to a Trey Ragas touchdown dive, but a tract extremity by Gay and a touchdown walk by Perkins to choky extremity Kendall Blanton made it 10-7 astatine halftime.

Garrett, a seventh-round draught pick, had a bully archetypal half, besides forcing a fumble by backmost Nathan Peterman that the Raiders recovered.

Bobby Brown III, a fourth-round pick, had a large play too, powering done Raiders halfway Nick Martin to propulsion Ragas for a three-yard loss.