Chargers vs. Rams ratings were worst for nationally televised NFL preseason game since 2004

The Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers moved to Los Angeles for various reasons, but the fact that it is a much larger market than St. Louis and San Diego in every single way is a good starter. The problem with that: The preseason game between the two was the lowest-rated nationally televised preseason game since 2004, according to The Big Lead.

True, it’s a preseason game and a lack of interest in preseason games can certainly be forgiven, but these numbers are up against other preseason games. This game was watched by fewer people than any single preseason game to air on network television since the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts played in 2004.

That comes out to a 1.4 rating, with 2.2 million viewers on CBS, according to the report, which also notes those numbers are down 42 percent from the Tennessee Titans vs. Oakland Raiders game a year ago, and down 53 and 55 percent, respectively, from the Seattle Seahawks vs. Chargers game from 2015.

Make no mistake: The Los Angeles market is huge and it will be interesting to see how it actually shakes out between the Chargers and Rams when it comes to the attention of its locals, if their attention is to be had by either team.

But they’re both terrible teams, have been for some time, and a preseason game between them sounds like a dreadful thing to watch. Even with all of that, these numbers are pretty staggering, especially when combined with the fact that the venue was mostly empty during the game.