Studs and duds from Rams’ win vs. Chargers: Perkins, McCutcheon lead the way

There may not be anything on the line record-wise for the Rams this preseason, but a ton is riding on the three exhibition games for 50-plus players who are battling to make the team. Saturday night was their first chance to impress the coaching staff, and several players – including Bryce Perkins and Lance McCutcheon – did exactly that.

The Rams still have two more preseason games to go after Saturday’s 29-22 win over the Chargers, but this was an important night for a bunch of guys in Los Angeles.

Here are our studs and duds from the Rams’ comeback win.

Stud: Bryce Perkins

Perkins played every snap on offense, getting his chance to lead the team against the Chargers. It wasn’t a regular season-type stat line – 10-for-17, 133 yards, two touchdowns – but he certainly got the job done beyond just completing passes and creating big plays.

Where he did a lot of his damage was on the ground with 39 yards rushing on eight carries with one touchdown – a beautiful zone-read from the 1-yard line. His athleticism was on full display, especially during this 9-yard run.

He threw both of his touchdown passes to Lance McCutcheon, perhaps the Rams’ breakout player at wide receiver. Both of them were great throws, too, giving his receiver a chance to make a play with his bigger frame.

Stud: Lance McCutcheon

McCutcheon opened some eyes on Saturday night when he made a spectacular grab over a defender along the sideline and turned it into a 60-yard touchdown after breaking a tackle. He’s a bigger receiver with good speed and a huge catch radius, showing off his whole skill set against the Chargers.

McCutcheon also made a tough grab over the middle on third down to move the sticks in the third quarter, and he was on the receiving end of the Rams’ two-point conversion after their third touchdown.

One of his better plays came in the fourth quarter, a jump-ball touchdown from Perkins in the corner of the end zone. His size is a real weapon in the red zone.

Stud: Daniel Hardy

Hardy flashed a few times early in the game with a pair of pressures, including a hit on Chase Daniel. Daniel still managed to complete the pass while being dragged to the ground, but it was a good rush by the rookie Hardy.

He’s definitely making a strong case for a spot on the 53-man roster this season and he’s off to a great start in the preseason so far. He finished with three tackles and a quarterback hit.

Stud: Benton Whitley

Whitley is in the same boat as Hardy. They’re both rookies looking to prove themselves, and they got off to a good start Saturday. Whitley made one tackle and had a quarterback hit, pressuring Daniel once in the first half.

He showed good burst off the edge from the right side of the defensive front but he was caught with his eyes in the backfield on Easton Stick’s 3-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Stud: Derion Kendrick

Kendrick’s playing time was limited to the first few series by the Chargers, but he looked the part in limited action. His best play of the game came on a throw by Daniel to a receiver on a hitch route, which Kendrick read like a book. He jumped the route and showed good change-of-direction agility, nearly coming up with an interception.

Had he held on, Kendrick would’ve turned it into an easy pick-six.

Stud: Grant Haley

Haley got most of his opportunities in the second half and he made the most of them. He made a great tackle on Zander Horvath in the flat on third down, keeping him short of the first-down line. He finished the game with eight tackles and looked very comfortable both in coverage and when asked to come up and make plays on ball carriers.

He could be pushing for a roster spot with plenty still to be determined in the secondary.

Stud: Bobby Brown III

Brown recorded the Rams’ only sack of the night, an impressive win from his nose tackle position against the Chargers’ center. He quickly beat the center to the right, using his speed and power to push upfield and right into the lap of the quarterback.

Brown showed good effort and a high motor during the game, too, chasing down the running back on a screen early in the game. He did suffer an ankle injury in the second half but the Rams are hopeful it’s nothing major.

Duds: Bobby Evans and A.J. Arcuri

Evans didn’t have the best night at right tackle, allowing a few pressures on Perkins throughout the first half before Arcuri took over in the second half. He’s still fighting for a roster spot and isn’t yet locked in as a primary backup, so this preseason performance won’t exactly help his case as the regular season approaches.

It wasn’t much better for Arcuri at right tackle in the second half, as he struggled to prevent the Chargers’ edge rushers from pressuring Perkins in the pocket.

Dud: Terrell Burgess

Burgess needs to do more than he has in the last two-plus seasons. He got the start at safety against the Chargers and in the first quarter, he was on the wrong end of a 41-yard touchdown pass from Chase Daniel to Joe Reed. He was out of position in coverage, letting the receiver get behind him and break wide open.

It wasn’t the best look for a former third-round pick with two years of experience.

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Story originally appeared on Rams Wire