The second unit of the Los Angeles Rams — including the coaching — has done a remarkable job thus far in preseason. L.A. is 2-0 after narrow victories against the Dallas Cowboys and L.A. Chargers. Assistant head coach Aubrey Pleasant even got a victory as acting head coach in the Chargers win.
The Rams now play their third and final preseason game of 2024 against the Houston Texans on Saturday, Aug. 24 at 10:00 a.m. PT. Head coach Sean McVay will continue to keep his regular starters out of action and will instead let players like Stetson Bennett take over.
The Texans, meanwhile, are 2-1 this preseason with a loss to the Chicago Bears in the Hall of Fame Game and wins over the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants. They have been led by veteran backup Case Keenum and former Rams running back Cam Akers in preseason thus far.
Both teams are looking to get one last run in for their backups before the starters take over and the regular season kicks off in September.
Rams Offense vs. Texans Defense
Bennett was much better in his second start of the preseason than his first. He lowered his interception total from four to one, while keeping the one touchdown and being relatively efficient with the ball. Jordan Whittington and Zach Evans added 52 and 62 yards, respectively.
It should continue to be these offensive players leading the way with Bennett, with perhaps some run for Boston Scott and JJ Laap to keep things consistent. It’s possible that Whittington sits out considering he has shown enough this preseason.
Since the opening loss, the Texans have given up 12 points to the Steelers and 10 points to the Giants, but giving up 21 to the Bears in preseason is certainly not something to be happy about.
Rams Defense vs. Texans Offense
Omar Speights was the leader of the Rams defense last week, but in preseason, defensive stars tend to shift from week to week. Speights recorded a game-high eight tackles with two tackles for loss. Jaylen McCullough had two pass deflections while Carlos Watkins and Nick Hampton recorded sacks.
The book is out on players like Keenum, giving McVay a chance to have a strong defensive game plan heading in.
Rams Keys To Victory
1. Keep the defensive pressure
Keenum is likely the best quarterback that the Rams second-string defense is going to face in the preseason. They have done a remarkable job limiting the backups of the Cowboys and the Chargers, and they need to keep that intensity against Houston.
2. Play it safe offensively
Bennett was far better in his second outing because of the way he took care of the ball. If he can keep the Rams in possession of the football, they should be able to keep the Texans at bay.
