The Los Angeles Rams kicked off the 2024 preseason on Sunday afternoon, hosting the Dallas Cowboys at SoFi Stadium.
As is usually the case during the preseason, Rams head coach Sean McVay opted to sit all of his starters, giving young guys and players battling for roster spots plenty of opportunities to show what they can do.
And that was the case for a lot of young players as while the game wasn’t pretty, the Rams scored a game-winning touchdown with four seconds left to secure the 13-12 victory and start off the 2024 season on a high note.
Matthew Stafford did not suit up for the Rams, and neither did backup Jimmy Garoppolo. That meant that Stetson Bennett, who was away from the team all of last season, got the chance to quarterback the entire game for L.A.
Gettin' Whitt it early. 💪 pic.twitter.com/b4CwMOzHLt
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 11, 2024
Bennett flashed his talent with some nice throws early, hooking up with rookie sixth round pick Jordan Whittington a few times.
L.A. was unable to finish drives, however, and then Bennett started getting careless with the ball. He wound up throwing four total interceptions and would have had a fifth on the final drive if it wasn’t for a penalty.
The rook showcasing his toughness. 😤
📺: @ABC7 + @NFLNetwork | 📲: https://t.co/4beUdm4vkg pic.twitter.com/02XyEhzu0I
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 11, 2024
Despite the turnovers though, Bennett stayed poised and led the Rams down the field on the final drive when they were trailing 12-6 late.
Facing a fourth-and-goal situation from the 6-yard line, Bennett had some pressure in his face so rolled out to his left. He again stayed poised and didn’t panic, eventually finding tight end Miller Forristall for the game-winning touchdown with four seconds to play to secure the victory.
STETSON! FOR THE LEAD! BANG!!!!
📺: @ABC7 + @NFLNetwork | 📲: https://t.co/4beUdm4vkg pic.twitter.com/tu6YONpRyV
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 11, 2024
On the offensive side of the ball, Whittington was the standout for the Rams in his NFL debut. He seemed to be open all day and finished with six receptions for 74 yards.
While the Rams have a lot of talent at the wide receiver position, Whittington seems to be carving out a potential role for himself this training camp.
Veteran running back Boston Scott also had a solid day on the ground for L.A. with 15 carries for 68 yards. That’s a credit to the offensive line, who did a nice job opening up holes and protecting Bennett all day.
Sean McVay is loving what he sees from rookie DL Tyler Davis so far!@SoFi Coach Cam. 🎥 pic.twitter.com/KaZIplgWrf
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 11, 2024
The standout for the Rams defensively was another sixth-round rookie in Tyler Davis. The Clemson product was in the backfield all day and showed off his motor in the open field a couple of times. Davis had six total tackles, including a tackle for loss and quarterback hit in his first NFL game.
No quit in this defense! 😤
📺: @ABC7 + @NFLNetwork | 📲: https://t.co/4beUdm4vkg pic.twitter.com/yrsaxZNW5J
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 11, 2024
The kicking position will also be something to monitor for the Rams this preseason. After struggling in the kicking game last season, the Rams draft Joshua Karty out of Stanford to hopefully fix that. He was perfect in his first game, connecting on field goals of 28 and 39 yards while also drilling the game-winning extra point.
What’s next for the Rams
The Rams will be at SoFi Stadium again next weekend for their second preseason game. They will be the road team this time, however, taking on the L.A. Chargers on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. PT on ABC and NFL Network.
