The Sports Report: Rams win ‘strange’ game; Chargers score late to also win

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

From Gary Klein: A short week of preparation, a long cross-country flight and an early kickoff for West Coast body clocks presented the Rams with a challenge Sunday.

And coach Sean McVay’s team looked drowsy in the early stages against the New England Patriots.

But the Rams woke up in time to put away the Patriots, riding Matthew Stafford’s four touchdown passes, 100-yard receiving efforts from Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua and stout when-it-needed-to-be defense to a 28-22 victory in front of 64,628 at Gillette Stadium.

McVay alternately described it as “a strange game� and “a weird day.�

Regardless, the victory improved the Rams’ record to 5-5. After starting the season 1-4, they have gone 4-1.

So was Sunday’s performance proof of a real awakening? Or are the Rams destined to be a .500 team that will miss the playoffs?

“I fully believe that we are capable of continuing to trend in the right direction and continue to improve,� McVay said. “What that looks like? I’m excited for us to be able and go swing.�

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Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua are hands on in a very different way during Rams’ win

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CHARGERS

Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins dives into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: When he starred at Ohio State, the Buckeye faithful called their running back “All Day J.K.�

J.K. Dobbins took all day to break through but did just in time, scoring the game-winning touchdown with 18 seconds remaining to give the Chargers a 34-27 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday at SoFi Stadium.

The Chargers (7-3) survived a near disaster of their own doing, overcoming a squandered 21-point, second-half lead to win their fourth consecutive game.

Dobbins finished with 56 yards rushing and two touchdowns in 11 carries while quarterback Justin Herbert carried the offense with 297 yards passing and two touchdowns while completing 17 of 36 passes. He led the Chargers with 65 yards rushing.

After the Bengals (4-7) tied the score with 12:21 remaining, the Chargers picked up just 18 yards on their next three drives. Given second and third chances to take control of the game when Bengals kicker Evan McPherson missed 48- and 51-yard field goals, the Chargers mustered three-and-outs each time.

The fourth time was finally the charm.

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LAKERS

From Dan Woike: Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht, still sweaty from the career-high 27 points that helped bury the Pelicans on Saturday night, wanted a minute. His Tennessee Volunteers were driving against Georgia, and as he stared down at his phone, he asked for one more play before he began his postgame interview.

Tennessee committed a penalty and was forced to punt, an opportunity squandered.

Despite being an all-American at the university a year ago, Knecht couldn’t relate. Because when he’s gotten chances, like the one in front of him with the Lakers, he doesn’t move backward.

After Knecht put his phone down, he talked about the confidence the Lakers have in him, about how, after drafting him 17th, they’ve empowered him to let it fly, with coach JJ Redick drawing up specific plays for Knecht to shoot.

“It’s always good to have a coach like that, that’s super confident in you, always wanting you to shoot the ball,� Knecht said. “So when I go out there and I do shoot some crazy shots or something that I shouldn’t be shooting, it’s always good that JJ will have my back.�

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CLIPPERS

From Broderick Turner: They returned home from a three-game trip in a mini slump that left the Clippers seeking ways to break free of that malaise in which they lost all of those games.

They had left their home in Inglewood on a four-game winning streak, the Clippers feeling good with how they were playing.

But they lost their mojo and wanted to get it back.

They did Sunday night, the Clippers defeating the Utah Jazz 116-105 at Intuit Dome, and in the process they saw James Harden reach a career milestone.

With six minutes and nine seconds left in the first quarter, Harden drilled a three-pointer to break a tie with Ray Allen for the second-most in NBA history. Harden now has made 2,975 three-pointers over his 16-year career. He’s behind the leader, Golden State’s Stephen Curry (3,782), who will be in town Monday night with the Warriors to face the Clippers.

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UCLA BASKETBALL

From Andrés Soto: In three straight games, Lauren Betts has had to be subbed out due to blood on her jersey. It has become somewhat of a usual occurrence over the last year for the junior UCLA center. She’s used to getting scratched and clawed under the basket, but what has changed over time is her response, as head coach Cori Close has noticed.

“A year ago, that would’ve been a distraction to her,� Close said. “It would’ve stopped her from playing. She would have gotten a frustration level and to me, watching that now … I just am so proud of her maturation process and her mental toughness.�

Arkansas game-planned specifically for Betts, who entered the game coming off a career-high 31-point performance followed by a 17-10 double-double. She finished the game with 20 points and 12 rebounds — her second consecutive double-double — as the No. 5-ranked Bruins cruised to a 101-52 win over the visiting Arkansas Razorbacks.

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USC BASKETBALL

Andrej Stojakovic scored 20 points and Jovan Blacksher Jr. 19 and Joshua Ola-Joseph made several plays down the stretch Sunday night to help California beat USC 71-66 in a matchup between former conference rivals in the now-defunct Pac-12.

Cal (3-1), now in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and the Trojans (Big Ten) played as nonconference opponents for the first time since 1921. The Golden Bears, who have won back-to-back games against USC after 10 consecutive losses against the Trojans, lead the all-time series 138-134.

Desmond Claude hit a jumper before Saint Thomas made back-to-back baskets in the paint to give USC (3-1) a 64-63 lead with 6:30 to play, but after that the Trojans made one of 10 from the field as Cal scored eight of the final 10 points.

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USC FOOTBALL

From Bill Plaschke: It is a wild arm, a wondrous arm, a winning arm.

But is it powerful enough to restore a reputation?

It is a stalwart presence, a swaggering presence, a saving presence.

But is it powerful enough to rescue a coach?

Jayden Maiava brought quarterback chills back to the Coliseum on Saturday afternoon in leading USC to a 28-20 victory over underwhelming Nebraska.

But can he take the heat off Lincoln Riley?

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USC loses commitment from QB Julian Lewis, but gets one from Husan Longstreet

SPARKS

From Benjamin Royer: Former head coach Curt Miller and the Sparks parted ways after two, injury-ridden seasons.

Magic Johnson, part of the franchise’s six-person ownership group, promised increased attention to help bring Los Angeles back to championship level after ending the year last season with an 8-32 record — the worst in the league.

And on Sunday afternoon, instead of receiving the good news that Johnson and Co. might have expected, the luck of the draw left Sparks representative Rickea Jackson gasping in disbelief instead of cheering in glee.

The Sparks, holding the highest odds in the 2025 WNBA draft lottery with a 44.2% chance of selecting first after finishing 25-55 across the last two seasons, will draft second overall in April.

The Dallas Wings, who held a 22.7% chance of landing the No. 1 pick, jumped the Sparks and will select first. The Chicago Sky will draft third, while the Washington Mystics will pick fourth.

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THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1970 — Joe Frazier knocks out Bob Foster in the second round to retain the world heavyweight title in Detroit.

1990 — Monica Seles captures the first five-set women’s match since 1901, defeating Gabriela Sabatini 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the final of the Virginia Slims Championships.

1995 — Iowa State’s Troy Davis becomes the fifth player in NCAA Division I-A to rush for 2,000 yards, reaching that plateau in a 45-31 loss to Missouri.

1995 — Alex Van Dyke sets an NCAA record for most receiving yards in a season, catching 13 passes for 314 yards as Nevada beats San Jose State 45-28. Van Dyke raises his total to 1,874 yards, surpassing the record of 1,779 set in 1965 by Howard Twilley of Tulsa.

2000 — Indiana’s Antwaan Randle El becomes the second player in NCAA Division I-A history to rush for 200 points and pass for 200 points in a career in a 41-13 loss to Purdue.

2003 — American soccer phenom Freddy Adu, 14, signs a six-year deal with MLS.

2006 — Top-ranked Ohio State beats No. 2 Michigan 42-39 in Columbus in the regular-season finale. The Big Ten rivals had the top two spots in The AP football poll since Oct. 15.

2007 — Jimmie Johnson becomes the first driver to win consecutive Nextel Cup championships since Jeff Gordon in 1997 and ’98, wrapping up the title by finishing a trouble-free seventh in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

2012 — Matt Schaub has a career-high five touchdown passes, completes a franchise-record 43 passes and finishes with 527 yards passing, second most in NFL history, to lead the Houston Texans to a 43-37 overtime win over Jacksonville. Norm Van Brocklin holds the record with 554 for the Rams in 1951.

Compiled by the Associated Press