Below are 10 quick-hitting insights ahead of the Chargers' Week 2 preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers:
1) Sunday will be the 49th preseason meeting between the Chargers and the 49ers. This is also the first-ever preseason game for the Bolts as the home team at SoFi Stadium. The Chargers beat the Rams 13-6 last Saturday.
2) Easton Stick will start against San Francisco and play one half, according to head coach Brandon Staley. He'll share the field with 49ers rookie quarterback Trey Lance, who – like Stick – also starred at North Dakota State. The two quarterbacks combined for a 66-3 record as starters with the Bison.
3) Stick played the entire second half of last Saturday's game against the Rams. He finished 7-of-7 for 63 yards. Chase Daniel, who will play the second half this Sunday, was 15-of-24 for 104 yards as last week's starter.
4) Los Angeles passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach Shane Day spent the last two seasons as the 49ers quarterbacks coach. Under Day's tutelage in 2019, Jimmy Garoppolo set career highs in regular-season wins (13), completions (329), passing yards (3,978) and touchdowns (27). San Francisco played in Super Bowl LIV against the Kansas City Chiefs, losing 31-20.
5) Notable connections between the Chargers and 49ers: linebacker Fred Warner and cornerback Michael Davis were college teammates for three seasons at BYU. Rookie running back Trey Sermon and linebacker Kenneth Murray were college teammates for three seasons at Oklahoma.
6) Defensive back Mark Webb is expected to make his NFL debut against San Francisco. Webb was the lone 2021 Chargers' draft pick who did not play in the preseason opener.
7) Chargers offensive tackle Rashawn Slater, who played 20 snaps last week against the Rams, will not play on Sunday. The rookie was held out of both joint practices against San Francisco. Staley said after Friday's practice that he hopes to have Slater back next week.
8) Two rookies led the Chargers last Saturday in receiving and rushing. Wide receiver Joshua Palmer caught six passes for 36 yards, including four receptions on the opening 21-play drive. Running back Larry Rountree had eight carries for 63 yards, including 24- and 25-yard rushes.
9) On defense, rookie linebacker Nick Niemann led the Bolts with seven tackles. He played 36 defensive snaps, tied for third-most on the team. The Chargers forced the only turnover in last Saturday's game: a fourth-quarter red zone interception by cornerback John Brannon.
10) In addition to the preseason home opener, this Sunday marks 21 days until Week 1 at the Washington Football Team and 28 days until the regular-season home opener against the Dallas Cowboys. Los Angeles closes the preseason on Saturday, August 28 on the road against the Seahawks.
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