Inglewood, CA. — It’s not often you see a quarterback remain cool and collected after throwing an interception to a 305-pound defensive tackle, who then plows through him while rumbling down the field with the ball. But Stetson Bennett, fresh off two national championships at Georgia, thrives in pressure situations—something he proved yet again Saturday night.
Bennett brushed off his only major mistake of the game and led the Los Angeles Rams to a dramatic 23-22 preseason victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. The rookie quarterback finished with 324 yards and three touchdowns, capping off a stellar second preseason performance.
His biggest blunder came when TeRah Edwards, a massive rookie defensive tackle, picked off a Bennett pass. Edwards, who had never recorded an interception in his five college seasons, stormed down the field, throwing a head fake before running over Bennett himself. He eventually tripped up at midfield after a 29-yard return, igniting an uproar on the Chargers’ sideline.
“It was a great play,” Bennett said, downplaying the mistake. “It was hard to see, but then we had to go out and win the game. Our defense gave us another opportunity.”
Despite the setback, Bennett shook off the interception and guided the Rams down the field in the final minutes. Brennan Presley made a spectacular 40-yard catch between two defenders with 11 seconds left, setting up Bennett’s game-winning 8-yard touchdown pass to Tru Edwards with 5 seconds remaining.
Aubrey Pleasant, acting head coach for the night, praised Bennett’s resilience. “When you give up an interception in that situation and come back and respond, that’s what life is about,” Pleasant said. “That’s exactly what we want to see from a quarterback. His calm demeanor in a clutch moment really stood out.”
Head coach Sean McVay handed the reins over to Pleasant, the Rams’ assistant head coach and passing game coordinator, for this preseason contest.
On the other side, Justin Herbert made his long-awaited preseason debut, playing just one series. He completed 2 of 5 passes for 46 yards, showing chemistry with the revamped Chargers offense. However, Quentin Johnston went down on a cart after a hard hit, which interrupted the Chargers’ opening series.
“I was happy with the action that both our first-team defense and first-team offense got in this game,” said Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. “We needed it. It helped us.”
The Chargers also saw a standout play from rookie Luke Grimm, who returned a punt 66 yards for a touchdown, giving the Chargers a 22-16 lead in the fourth quarter.
Trey Lance added 121 yards through the air for the Rams, with Tre Harris hauling in six catches for 85 yards. The Rams’ offensive unit was clicking despite the interception, with Bennett throwing a beautiful 38-yard touchdown pass to Mario Williams on the final play of the third quarter.
The Chargers also saw a solid performance from Raheim Sanders, who punched in a 1-yard touchdown after a deep completion from Lance to Harris.
Notes & Quotes
Matthew Stafford was scheduled to go through a throwing workout, but the Rams would not confirm whether he participated due to his ongoing back injury. Stafford hasn’t practiced since the start of training camp.
Harbaugh declined to comment on the NCAA’s decision to fine the University of Michigan and suspend coach Sherrone Moore over a sign-stealing scandal during Harbaugh’s tenure. “Not engaging,” Harbaugh said.
Up Next:
Chargers: Finish preseason against the 49ers on Aug. 23 in Santa Clara.
Rams: Travel nearly 2,400 miles to face the Cleveland Browns on Aug. 23.
With Bennett showing his poise and the Rams continuing to find their rhythm, it’s shaping up to be an exciting preseason for Los Angeles.
