Quarterback Stetson Bennett makes his preseason debut for Los Angeles Rams. How did he do?
The Rams’ new QB appears to have hit the ground running in his first game for the franchise. The question now is can he continue in that same vein?
While there were concerns about his mentality and discipline following a brush with controversy earlier this year, the former Georgia Bulldogs star has proven that he’s worth the hype that surrounds him.
How was Stetson Bennett’s debut for the Rams?
On Saturday, former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett took to the field for the Los Angeles Rams in what was his first game for the franchise, a preseason contest against the Los Angeles Chargers. Backup Brett Rypien started the game, but after only three series was replaced by head coach Sean McVay who allowed Bennett to play for the remainder of the game. How did he do on the night? Across more or less three and a half quarters, Bennett completed 17 of 29 passes for 191 yards and one touchdown on the very same field at SoFi Stadium where he led the Bulldogs to a second consecutive national championship after destroying TCU in the final game of the 2022 college season. That’s to say, it was a good night for the rookie.
To be clear, Bennett is one of only three QBs in NCAA national championship history to win two in a row. It’s worth noting of course that the Chargers actually won the game 34-17, but where Bennett is concerned, this was more than a very positive showing for a player who on the surface, was selected in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. It should also be said that Bennett is currently set to start at No. 3 on the Rams’ depth chart behind Matthew Stafford and the aforementioned Rypien, however, one has to feel that performances like the one he gave over the weekend, will go a long way toward improving his chances of moving up. “I thought there was a lot of good opportunities for him to be able to learn from, and you could see some of the things that excite us about him,” McVay said.
Has Stetson Bennett turned a corner?
Now, you may recall that earlier this year Bennett was in the news but unfortunately not for football-related reasons. On the morning of January 28th, 2023, just over two weeks after winning the national title, Bennett was arrested in Dallas, Texas after reports that he was banging on doors in a residential area in the early hours of the morning. The Bulldogs star was subsequently arrested and cited for public intoxication. This of course led to various concerns about his discipline and attitude ahead of the 2023 NFL Combine, however, that now appears to be behind the 25-year-old as he prepares for life anew in the NFL.