INGLEWOOD, Calif. - - — Coming into Saturday afternoon’s matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints, one of the biggest questions surrounding the team remained whether its next backup quarterback was already on the current roster.
Quarterback Stetson Bennett has been with the Rams for three seasons, but he entered Saturday still looking to solidify his place as the No. 2 quarterback behind veteran star Matthew Stafford.
Bennett had struggled at times throughout training camp and failed to make much of an impact during the Rams’ first preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
With another opportunity in front of him Saturday, Bennett needed a strong performance.
He delivered.
Bennett played the entire first half, leading the Rams to 20 points while making plays both through the air and on the ground. The former Georgia Bulldog finished the game 19-of-31 passing for 181 yards and added two rushing touchdowns in the 34-0 win over the Saints.
Rams coach Sean McVay was really impressed and excited to see good play from Bennett
“I think he’s getting better and better. I think part of it is the overall command. I thought he made some really good decisions. I thought he got through some progressions,” McVay said. “[Bennett] did a great job. I thought he got an opportunity to be able to really showcase a lot of his skills. Huge credit to Dave Ragone too. I think those two guys were really in sync and it was fun to watch.”
Bennett looked in complete control of the offense.
His throws were crisp, his pocket presence was noticeably improved, and his timing with his receivers allowed the Rams to consistently move the football. He also displayed command of the huddle and the type of leadership the Rams will need from their backup quarterback.
“I thought we did good things on offense. Obviously, going to have to go back and watch the film. There are some balls that I wish we would have connected on but overall, I thought it was good,” Bennett said about his performance.
But perhaps the most intriguing part of Bennett’s performance was what he was able to do with his legs.
His running ability and elusiveness are aspects of his game that aren’t always easy to see during practice, but they can become a legitimate weapon once the lights come on.
“I thought he used his legs as a weapon, which we talked about a little bit with you guys last week. I think those are the things that don't necessarily come to life in some of the practice settings” McVay said.
Bennett enjoyed getting to use his legs in game setting and will look to use them more when given the opportunity.
“That was fun. They're constantly reminding me in practice, especially down there in the red zone. If it's not there, take off,” Bennett said. “I had one early in the first quarter, I want to say, where I checked it down and kind of threw it away. I had gotten through all my progressions and taken off and run. I had that in my mind on the two rushing scores, but yeah, it was fun.”
On Saturday, Bennett showed how his mobility can add another dimension to the Rams’ offense.
For a quarterback competing for a backup role, Saturday was exactly the type of performance Bennett needed.
After an uneven start to the preseason, Bennett gave the Rams a reason to believe that the answer behind Stafford could already be on their roster.