Turf Show Times
The Los Angeles Rams are now 2-0 in the preseason after Stetson Bennett led a last-minute comeback against the crosstown Chargers. The Rams were given a tougher fight by the other LA team than they saw last week against the Cowboys; however, it’s always positive to see the team finish in the win column.
Who stood out on an individual level? Let’s take a look at the winners & losers:
VOTE: Who gets the game ball in Rams’ win?
It’s rare to see quarterbacks throw for 300+ yards in the preseason, but Stetson Bennett surely had a rare night. He completed 28 of 40 (70%) of his passes for 324 yards, three TD’s, and an interception.
We’ve seen late-game heroics from Bennett before; however, this time felt different. He played well throughout this game and maintained through the final seconds. This wasn’t the case of playing poorly for the better part of four quarters only to be fortunate at the very end. We are watching a new Bennett, and the growth is coming at the right time amidst Matthew Stafford’s curious health concerns.
Jackson was quiet last week against Dallas. It was a different story against the Chargers.
He sacked Justin Herbert while working against their first-string offense to hold the Chargers to a field goal on their opening drive. He also earned another sack while the Chargers were driving to keep them out of the end zone.
That’s a good day at the office. There is a role open at the third EDGE rusher position behind Jared Verse and Byron Young in replacement of Michael Hoecht. Through two games, Jackson and rookie Josaiah Stewart are the frontrunners.
Blake Corum was the starter and received only four carries. It seems the Rams are intent on resting their primary backup running back. That meant an extended look at rookie Jarquez Hunter and last week’s star Cody Schrader.
Hunter carried the rock 15 times for 55 yards (3.7 avg) with a long of 11 yards. He showed off his physical running style and acceleration. It was a positive outing but it might not do much to shake up the expected rotation in the backfield.
Schrader on the other hand seems to have leapfrogged Ronnie Rivers (did not play). The second-year back rushed 13 times for 48 yards (3.7 avg) and was productive through the air with two catches for 24 yards. The Rams kept Schrader on the regular season roster a year ago, and it’s looking possible that he takes Rivers’ spot on the team in 2025. Can he contribute on special teams as Rivers has in recent years?
Green has been LA’s best overall corner so far in the preseason, and that represents a continuation of positive feedback in training camp. The box score credits him with two pass deflections. More impressive was the fact that he did not give...
