Weary Rams hit NFL low with 11th loss by defending champion
Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) can't catch a pass as he is pressured by Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Bryce Callahan (23) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Mark J. Terrill]
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — The Rams became the first defending Super Bowl champions in NFL history to lose 11 games with their 31-10 loss to the Chargers in the first Los Angeles derby at SoFi Stadium on New Year’s Day. The eighth double-digit loss of this season for the Rams contained all of the primary reasons why this consistently strong team over the previous half-decade has hit a historic low immediately after raising the Lombardi Trophy. These Rams still have many of last season’s difference-making veteran players on their roster, but nearly all of them are injured as the season winds to a merciful end.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley, left, and Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay shake hands after an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. The Chargers won 31-10. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Mark J. Terrill
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Baker Mayfield (17) shake hands after an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. The Chargers won 31-10. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Marcio Jose Sanchez