The Los Angeles Rams wrapped up their preseason slate on Saturday afternoon, losing to the Houston Texans 17-15 on the road. They will finish the preseason with a 2-1 record and a lot of positives to show for it.
Perhaps the biggest thing that came from this game was that quarterback Stetson Bennett did not suit up for the Rams. With Jimmy Garoppolo suspended for the first two weeks of the season, Bennett showed enough in the first two preseason games for Sean McVay to be comfortable enough to sit him out and name him as Matthew Stafford’s backup.
That meant that Dresser Winn got the opportunity to show what he can do and play quarterback the entire game for the Rams. He led a few nice drives but overall completed just 9-of-16 passes for 72 yards.
Xavier Smith continued to be a standout at wide receiver for the Rams this preseason, leading the team with four catches for 24 yards.
A majority of the Rams’ offense came on the ground though. Boston Scott carried the ball 11 times for 34 yards while Zach Evans finished with 14 carries for 45 yards and two touchdowns.
.@Runzekerun01 finds the endzone for the second time today!
📺 @ABC7 | 📲 https://t.co/4beUdm3XuI pic.twitter.com/FZH6nxXDap
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 24, 2024
Hometown kid @Runzekerun01 runs it into the endzone!
📺 @ABC7 | 📲 https://t.co/4beUdm3XuI pic.twitter.com/LvoWWNkhN0
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 24, 2024
Evans, who the Rams drafted in the sixth round in 2023, is currently battling for a roster spot so it will be interesting to see if he makes the cut after this performance.
If Evans winds up getting cut though then there is a good chance he will remain with the organization on the practice squad to provide some depth.
Perhaps the only other notable thing from this game is that kicker Joshua Karty missed an extra point. He won the Rams’ kicking battle during training camp but the rookie hasn’t exactly instilled a ton of confidence with his preseason performance. He made 5-of-6 field goal attempts and 2-of-3 extra points in the preseason, which isn’t horrible but also needs to be better if the Rams want to rely on their kicking game this season.
What’s next for the Rams
Now that the preseason has come to an end, the Rams will be busy finalizing their 53-man roster and practice squads for the regular season. They will then open up the year on Sunday Night Football against the Detroit Lions on the road on Sunday, Sept. 8.
