INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Aaron Donald sprinted after Justin Herbert's loose fumble with almost nothing but open turf between him and his first touchdown for the Los Angeles Rams.
But footballs bounce funny, and this one skittered out of bounds before the diving, scrambling Donald could scoop and/or score.
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Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, left, talks to quarterback Justin Herbert and head coach Jim Harbaugh during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) is tackled by Los Angeles Chargers safety Tony Jefferson (23) after a catch during the first half of an NFL football game in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) scores a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle Teair Tart (93) and defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (94) celebrate after a defensive stop during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum (24) leaps past Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Elijah Molden (2) on his way to scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
The 35-year-old superstar stayed down in exaggerated exhaustion, and his teammates applied some fake first aid before the Rams finished up their victory.
“Oh man, I’m going to give him such a hard time about that,” coach Sean McVay said. “He couldn’t even look at me. At least we can laugh about it right now.”
The Rams could afford to have a little fun Sunday. For the first time in their tumultuous season, they've won two games in a row.
Matthew Stafford passed for 157 yards and a touchdown, Blake Corum and Kyren Williams rushed for scores and the Rams overcame a slow start for a 24-9 victory over the winless Los Angeles Chargers.
Puka Nacua had 11 catches for 80 yards and a TD for the Rams (4-4), who won back-to-back games for the first time since January by rallying past their SoFi Stadium roommates. The Rams have won two of the three editions of this Los Angeles derby since both teams relocated a decade ago.
But the Rams didn’t even manage a first down until they trailed 9-3 in the waning moments of the first half, when they made the first of three touchdown drives to take control. Corum, who rushed for 73 yards, made a 23-yard TD run before Nacua caught an 18-yard TD pass late in the third quarter.
“This is something that we've got to build upon, but it's not something we can exhale from,” Nacua said. “Not being able to execute in the first half, that's something we can't have. If our defense is playing like that, we've got to go out there and play complementary football.”
Herbert passed for 257 yards and threw two interceptions for the Chargers (0-7), who returned from their bye week and extended their worst start to a season since 2000. Although the offense led by coordinator Mike McDaniel showed some signs of life with 295 yards, the Bolts failed to score a touchdown for the second straight game — and they're still the NFL’s only winless team after their defense couldn't stop a Rams offense missing the injured Davante Adams.
“There’s no quit,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “There’s no surrender. It’s going to be an opportunity next week, and get ourselves ready for that. It’s that motivation. There’s next week. … You've got to keep moving forward, and just give it your very best and get better, but there’s never any quit.”
LA's two NFL teams don't have a rivalry despite their geographical nearness, and both offenses started poorly with early interceptions. Quentin Lake set up the Rams' opening field goal by picking off Herbert's short pass and returning it 45 yards.
Herbert has thrown an interception in all seven games this season, but the Chargers also struggled to run the ball. McDaniel, who retained play-calling duties despite the Bolts’ winless start, called back-to-back successful flea-flickers to get the Chargers moving toward their second field goal in the second quarter.
“I think the turnovers are what’s stopping us, and that’s something we have to clean up,” Herbert said. “When we’re not converting on third down and not scoring points in the red zone, it’s tough in that regard.”
The Chargers haven't scored a TD in their last nine quarters of play, yet the Rams were pretty terrible themselves early on at SoFi.
They gained just 24 yards on their first 15 plays, going without a first down on their first five drives for the first time in McVay's career.
The Rams trailed by six when they finally got their initial first down on a 40-yard completion to Tutu Atwell. Moments later, Williams waltzed in untouched for the game's first TD with 19 seconds left in the first half.
The Rams made another strong drive out of halftime, with Corum racking up 55 yards on the drive that ended with his graceful 23-yard score.
Two plays after Trent McDuffie had the Rams' second interception, Nacua took a screen pass for an 18-yard score.
Chargers: LB Daiyan Henley injured his shoulder in the first quarter, but returned. ... S Derwin James (hamstring) missed his fourth straight game. He went on injured reserve Saturday.
Rams: CB Jaylen Watson injured his shoulder early in the second half and didn't return. He missed a game last month with a dislocated shoulder. ... McDuffie injured his back in the second half of his return from a two-game absence with a groin injury, but he was on the sideline wearing his helmet down the stretch.
Chargers: Host Houston next Sunday.
Rams: At Washington next Sunday.
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, left, talks to quarterback Justin Herbert and head coach Jim Harbaugh during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) is tackled by Los Angeles Chargers safety Tony Jefferson (23) after a catch during the first half of an NFL football game in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) scores a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle Teair Tart (93) and defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (94) celebrate after a defensive stop during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum (24) leaps past Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Elijah Molden (2) on his way to scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — President Donald Trump is closing out the final days of a turbulent midterm campaign with rallies in two states he has handily won in the past while Democrats began to fracture in Michigan, risking their effort to retake the Senate.
The president is in Salina, Kansas, after speaking for two hours earlier Sunday in Dubuque, Iowa. Republicans in both states are fending off robust challenges from Democrats, threatening GOP majorities in the Senate while they're already at risk in the House.
But in Iowa, Trump insisted Republicans were on the verge of sweeping victories on Election Day on Tuesday.
“We're going to elect ‘America first’ Republicans up and down the line,” he said.
With more than 54 million votes already cast, the trips reflect the GOP's defensive posture as the elections become a referendum on Trump's White House second term.
They are a reminder of how starkly the political environment has changed since Trump’s last campaign. In 2024, he worked to flip states that had previously backed Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. This year, Trump has focused largely on states he has dominated before as voters, including previous supporters, question the economic fallout of his decision to impose tariffs and launch the war in Iran.
But Democrats who have become increasingly bullish on their prospects were confronting challenges of their own.
In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed's onetime opponent in the Senate primary, Haley Stevens, appeared with Republican Mike Rogers at a church service and later endorsed his campaign. Stevens, a congresswoman who has criticized El-Sayed as being insufficiently supportive of Israel, said she backed Rogers after an invitation to a Democratic event was rescinded.
“Our Democratic nominee for Senate said I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away,” Stevens said in a video announcing the endorsement. “And he’s right. And that’s why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today.”
The stunning move forced other Democrats to reiterate their support for El-Sayed. Chuck Schumer of New York, the top Democrat in the U.S. Senate, said the party was “united in our support.” U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, who leads the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said the party would “stand firmly” behind El-Sayed and “reject any efforts to divide Democrats.”
Earlier, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a top supporter of El-Sayed, dismissed concerns about a Democratic divide.
“Haley Stevens lost a very, very close primary. I can understand being upset about that,” the Vermont independent said on CBS' “Face the Nation.” “But from what I can see, all over the state, people are standing up, they’re gonna stand with Abdul.”
Michigan plays a key role in the Democratic effort to retake control of the U.S. Senate. If they don't keep that seat on Tuesday, they would face additional pressure to win races in deeper Republican territory such as Texas, Kansas, Ohio or Iowa.
The campaign's closing stretch has largely become a test of Trump’s enduring strength in a Republican Party he reshaped in his image a decade ago. He's hoping to energize voters like Jon Lutz, a Dubuque resident who watches videos of Trump all the time but attended his first rally on Sunday.
Lutz said he's happy with Trump's second term record and wants Republicans to keep control of the House and Senate so his agenda will advance.
“He’s done what he’s said he’s going to do,” the 60-year-old civil engineer said. “I want him to keep going.”
Wendy Kuenzler was also seeing Trump for the first time on Sunday. Waiting in line at the concession stand, the 44-year-old from Burlington said she felt that Iowa was at a crossroads with multiple competitive elections. She plans to support Ashley Hinson, the U.S. Senate nominee.
Kuenzler said she doesn't blame rising gas and grocery prices on Trump. "He's on the path to correcting it,” she said.
Democrats in Iowa were also campaigning feverishly on Sunday. Rob Sand, the nominee for governor, was holding several events across the state.
In Kansas, Liz Wagner, a 59-year-old restaurant owner, traveled 165 miles (266 kilometers) from her hometown of Atchison, to attend Trump’s outdoor rally at the airport in Salina, Kansas. She said she agrees “with everything he says.”
“I want people to get up and go to work and stop sticking their hands out,” she said while waiting to get into the rally. “The Democrats like to hand things out.”
Trump is betting that he can overcome the headwinds facing Republicans this year by relentlessly appearing before his most loyal supporters. But the more than two dozen rallies he held in October were occasionally overshadowed by Trump's meandering asides and sometimes graphic descriptions of the physique of the male politicians he was supporting.
Trump paused the rallies on Saturday and spent the evening at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida at a jungle-themed Halloween party, where he bragged about the wealth of his guests and dismissed concerns about the country's direction.
“The country has never done better,” he said.
Outgoing Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., raised concerns on Sunday that the president's policies, particularly tariffs, could weigh down the GOP.
“Tariffs are not popular here in the Midwest,” he told CNN's “State of the Union.” “I tried telling the president that.”
Bacon predicted “there will be a debate in the party” about its future if there are significant losses this week.
Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina was more optimistic. The chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee said he was confident Republicans would keep the Senate and embraced Trump's role in the campaign.
“There's no doubt that President Trump has said himself that the midterm election is about him," he told NBC's “Meet the Press.” “His agenda, without any question, is on the ballot.”
Sloan reported from Washington and Hanna from Salina, Kansas. Associated Press writers Corey Williams in Detroit and Will Weissert, Joey Cappelletti and Jonathan J. Cooper in Washington contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump points as he speaks during a campaign rally at the Five Flags Event Center, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, in Dubuque, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Senate candidate Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, greets attendees before President Donald Trump arrives to speak during a campaign rally at the Five Flags Event Center, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, in Dubuque, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., left, Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and his wife Sarah Jukaku, attend a church service at Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
A supporter holds up a sign beforePresident Donald Trump arrives to speak during a campaign rally at the Five Flags Event Center, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, in Dubuque, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, right, and Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., attend a service at Perfecting Church, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)
Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed speaks at a campaign rally, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in Sterling Heights, Mich. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
President Donald Trump speaks at a Halloween party at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
