The Chargers fell 23-22 to the Rams on Saturday night at SoFi Stadium.

And even though it was just a preseason game, Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh let it be known that the his team had plenty to improve on, especially after the Bolts couldn't hold a late lead.

"I know it's preseason, and they talk about, 'It's just preseason.' It feels like regular season to me right now, and that will probably be for another 24 hours — maybe longer," Harbaugh said. "But tremendous things to learn from in this game. I'm confident we'll dig into it."

Here are five takeaways from the Bolts third preseason game.

1. Harris, KLS shine vs. Rams

Tre' Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith didn't look like rookies on Saturday night.

Instead, each 2025 draft pick brought their own spark to the offense and they made splash plays and offered a glimpse into the future, too,

Harris, the Chargers recent second-round pick, finished with six catches for 85 yards, a total that both led the Bolts on offense.

"It felt really good. I know my dad is really happy so shoutout to him. He came to the game and [Saturday] was his birthday," Harris said. "Glad he got to come out and see my do what I do best."

Saturday's performance was especially encouraging for Harris considering he didn't have a catch on two targets in the Chargers first two preseason games.

And while Harris said he wasn't concerned with not popping up on the stat sheet, he revealed that Chargers wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal challenged him and the other rookie receivers to make their mark against the Rams.

Harris did just that, as his big night included a 34-yard catch down the right sideline that set the offense up at the 1-yard line.

"I definitely think it added a little confidence. But I'll be honest … Coach Sanjay challenged the rookie receivers and I feel like we all stepped up to it," Harris said. "That's what really kind of set the tone for the week, just accepting the challenge and going out there and playing how he wants us to play."

Harbaugh came away impressed with Harris' performance.

"Tre', some big catches showing the catch radius, the ability to catch it over the middle, catch and run, catch on the sideline. I thought he had a heck of a game," Harbaugh said.

He later added: "He's a very confident player. He's the kind of guy that just keeps building and that's what we've noticed throughout training camp. It's great to see that hard work pay off. And it always does. Hard work always, always pays off."

Lambert-Smith, meanwhile, had 66 yards on a pair of receptions, the first of which came from Justin Herbert on the Chargers first offensive drive.

Herbert ripped a pass to the left sideline that Lambert-Smith caught at the last second for a 29-yard gain on third down.

"Seeing him at practice a little bit, he throws a ball where you're like, 'How does he fit it in there?' He does that regularly … it was elite placement by him," Lambert-Smith said.

The fifth-round rookie later added that he feels comfortable being in there with the starting offense.

"It shouldn't be like a backup comes in. We don't want nothing to slow down. [Herbert] showed me that off the rip by going at me twice [with two targets]," Lambert-Smith said.

Lambert-Smith also showed up on special teams, too, with a textbook tackle as a gunner on punt coverage.

"The guys in our room, not a lot of special teams coming from the starters. They broke it down to us where you better find value and it better be more than what you can bring. That's my mentality," Lambert-Smith said.

Harbaugh added: "Really impressed with KLS on the gunner rep he had, just the tackle and the toughness."

The Chargers could keep six wide receivers on the 53-man roster later this month, a group that includes the pair of rookies.

Harris and Lambert-Smith showed Saturday night that they want to be impact players right away in 2025.

"Us on the field, I feel like we feed off each other's energy when we're out there," Harris said. "He made his first big catch … then I make mine … we were hyping each other up."

Lambert-Smith added: "[Tre'] is my guy. It's almost like college again when you come in with a freshman roommate. We roomed during camp … we talk every day. I feel like we continue to build that bond."

Harbaugh said: "Both of those players — Tre' and KeAndre — showed a lot of grit."

Finally, rookie undrafted free agent wide receiver Luke Grimm had a 66-yard punt return for a score early in the fourth quarter.

Nicknamed 'The Grimm Reaper,' the former Kansas standout was mobbed by his teammates on the bench after the go-ahead score.

"I thought it was outstanding. The blocking was smart, was crisp. It was a great return by Luke," Harbaugh said. "Set up great. Guys had a chance to block in the back and they didn't. They trusted their training and their coaching and it was great to see it executed for a touchdown."

Harris added: "That lane opened up and I knew he was going to slide. That's what 'Reap' do, bro."

2. An update on Quentin Johnston

A scary scene unfolded early in Saturday's game when Quentin Johnston was hit up high on deep pass down the right sideline.

The Chargers wide receiver lay motionless on the ground for a few minutes while attended to by trainers and medical staff, but eventually got up and walked to a cart on his own before going to locker room.

Harbaugh said after the game that Johnston suffered a concussion and was taken to nearby hospital for X-rays and further evaluation as a precaution.

"Quentin suffered a concussion," Harbaugh said. "That's never a good thing but the way it looked there at the time, it looked like it could have been a lot worse.

"He was taken for more evaluation but he was talking, he remembered the play, was moving good. In that way. It was a good thing," Harbaugh added.

3. Herbert leads scoring drive

Herbert made his preseason debut Saturday and led a scoring drive on his first and only series of the game.

The Chargers quarterback completed two of five passes for 46 yards, with Ladd McConkey tallying a 17-yard catch before Lambert-Smith's aforementioned 29-yard gain.

The Bolts went 51 yards on nine plays to open the game before Cameron Dicker kicked a 32-yard field goal.

"They moved the ball down there real well. They looked pretty sharp," Harbaugh said of the offense.

He later added: "I was happy with the action that both our first-team defense and first-team offense got in this game. We needed it and it helped us."

The Chargers starting defense — minus Khalil Mack and Derwin James, Jr. — also played one series and allowed a 60-yard touchdown drive.

Tuli Tuipulotu said the unit wasn't as crisp as they wanted but took the game as a good learning experience.

"No rust, probably just lock into our keys more, playing the run a little better. Especially that first drive," Tuipulotu said.

"We could [learn] something from that first drive because they did score on us. That shouldn't happen. Something we can look at the tape and see what's up," Tuipulotu added.

4. Edwards notches big man INT

TeRah Edwards was rumbling.

The Chargers rookie defensive lineman made perhaps the play of the game when he picked off Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett IV on a clean catch.

Edwards, an undrafted rookie free agent out of Illinois, then had his eyes on the end zone but was tripped up after a 27-yard return.

"It was a blessing. I ain't going to lie, it was in my head, 'What's going on, I haven't touched the ball in years,'" Edwards said.

"I was trying to take it as far as I could. I haven't scored a touchdown in my life," Edwards added. "I've always been a lineman so that's always a big man's dream. You always dream of it but you never think it will happen, so when it happened, I'm trying."

Harbaugh said he had a great view of the takeaway.

"It was pretty much right in front of me. The interception and the run. Good ball security. Just fired up for him," Harbaugh said.

5. Lance keeps building

Trey Lance just keeps stacking days together.

The Chargers quarterback, who is battling Taylor Heinicke for the backup quarterback job, completed seven of 15 passes for 121 yards on Saturday night.

He also added a team-high 25 rushing yards on four attempts, but said postgame that he wished the offense could have closed the game out with a five-point lead late in regulation.

"Losing sucks, that's kind of what's on my mind right now," Lance said. "But I thought we did some good things, some things we got to improve, 4-minute at the end of the game.

"Luke Grimm runs back a kick, we have to be able to move the chains. Can't go three-and-out and give them the ball back with all that time," Lance added.

Heinicke started the game and completed six of 11 passes for 56 yards.

Lance, who doesn't have a turnover in three preseason games, said he's keeping an even mindset ahead of Saturday's preseason finale against the 49ers.

"Same as I've approached these other ones. Just trying to build on it, build on what we've done these first three and come out with the win," Lance said.