L.A. Rams, Chargers Week 6 recap

RAMS: The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars in a 27-17 shootout last Sunday to improve to 4-2 and solidified their stance as a playoff contender in the NFC West. 

Pharoh Cooper’s explosive 103-yard kickoff return for a touchdown kicked off the scoring for the Rams on the very first play. He spun off a couple tackles before scampering down the sideline to the house.

The (3-3) Jaguars responded right back with a highlight of their own. Leonard Fournette hit a huge hole on the right side and ran untouched for a 75-yard touchdown on their first play from scrimmage. 

Jared Goff completed 11 of his 21 passes attempts for 124 yards and a touchdown. Goff connected with Robert Woods five times for 70 yards and Cooper Kupp twice for 35 yards.
Todd Gurley eclipsed 100 yards rushing for the third time this season with 23 carries for 116 yards. Gurley has now rushed for over 100 yards in every game that the Rams have fed him the ball over 20 times. The Rams are undefeated this season when he passes the century mark in rush yards.

Sammy Watkins caught just one pass for 11 yards. Over the last three games, the once dynamic wide receiver has just 2 receptions for 28 yards. His frustrations are mounting as he seems to be sinking further down in the depth chart every week after his solid start to the season. 

This Sunday Rams will face their divisional rival, the third place Arizona Cardinals at home. 
The Rams will look to put up a lot of points against Arizona since they are the highest scoring offense in the league coming into Week 7, averaging 29.8 points per game. The Cardinals have allowed 26.3 points to their opponents so far, ranking them near the bottom of the league in points against.

The Rams will have to stop Adrian Peterson who has found a new home in Arizona after being released by the Saints earlier this season.  Peterson helped lead the Cardinals to a 38-33 victory over the Bucs last week with his 134 yards rushing and two touchdown debut in the desert. The Rams have allowed almost 140 yards rushing per game this year, the 29th best in the league of 32 teams.

CHARGERS: The (2-4) Chargers finally had a little luck last Sunday, grinding out a 17-16 victory against the (2-4) Raiders, courtesy of a poor snap on an extra point attempt from Jon Condo, a fundamentally sound long snapper who has been selected to the Pro Bowl twice in his career for being like clockwork.

Marquette King, the Raiders Pro Bowl punter and place holder, managed to catch the bad snap and put it down, but it was enough to throw off kicker Giorgio Tavecchio who had made two from over 50 yards earlier in the day.

The Chargers capitalized on the extra point miss by marching down the field on the ensuing drive, and setting up Nick Novak with the winning 32-yard field goal with time expiring. Novak is still earning the trust of his teammates and coach Anthony Lynn, but his clutch chipshot to seal the deal will help the cause.

Melvin Gordon had another huge performance with 150 total yards on offense and two touchdowns. Most importantly Gordon protected the football, rushing 25 times and hauling in 9 receptions without coughing up the ball. He has yet to fumble this season.

Over the last two victories, Gordon has carried the ball 45 times for 188 yards and a touchdown, while catching 15 passes for another 125 yards and three more touchdowns.

The Raiders have been on the ropes ever since Week 3 and now find themselves at the bottom of the AFC West, with little hope to make the playoffs. The Chargers were the only team in the AFC West  to win last week so they gained a game on the entire division.

The Chargers have sparked new hopes of turning this season around after stringing together a mini two-game winning streak. 

This Sunday, the Chargers will host a downward trending Denver Broncos team that was downtrodden last week by the little Giants.  Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram will look to create havoc for Trevor Siemian and the Broncos passing game. The edge rushers come into Week 7 as one of the best pass rushing duos in the NFL, with 13 total sacks combined.