It’s not the way you begin, however the way you end.
At the least, that’s what Stetson Bennett will likely be telling himself this Monday morning.
The second-year quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams had what you would possibly name an “attention-grabbing” sport Sunday in his 2024 NFL preseason debut towards the Dallas Cowboys. Bennett threw 4 interceptions towards Dallas on Sunday — actually 5, as we’ll see in a second — however managed to guide the Rams on the game-winning drive, capping that possession off with a formidable sidearm throw whereas rolling to his left for a landing.
First, we are able to have a look at the 4 interceptions, with every one seemingly worse than the one earlier than. Bennett’s first interception got here on a third and 6 play late within the first quarter. With the Cowboys dropping into Cowl 4, Bennett tries to hit the in-breaking route in entrance of the safeties. The throwing lane is there for him and the ball is launched on time, however the throw is solely excessive, resulting in the turnover:
he second interception is greater than the rest a heads-up play by Dallas cornerback Eric Scott Jr. With the Rams dealing with a 2nd and 10 on the Cowboys’ 19-yard line, Bennett tries to attach with rookie WR
Sam Wiglusz on the deep sit route over the center. Scott is aligned to the boundary aspect of the sphere — on the backside of the display — and with the Cowboys in Cowl 1 he’s answerable for broad receiver Jordan Whittington, who’s operating a shallow route.
However when Whittington sits down his route, permitting the beneath gap defender to select him up, Scott peels off Whittington and reads Bennett’s eyes. When the throw goes to Wiglusz, Scott is there for the interception:
On the third interception Bennett will get tripped up, so to talk. He initially opens to the left aspect of the formation, seeking to hit JJ Laap on a vertical route. However the rookie WR slips and crashes to the turf, so Bennett then works his eyes to the center of the sphere the place Wiglusz is operating the within dig route on a “double dig” idea. With Dallas in Cowl 4, that dig route is in entrance of each safeties, however ideally, the throw will get to the dig route as shortly as potential.
Nonetheless, the time it takes for Bennett to come back off Laap’s vertical route, and work to the center of the sphere, offers rookie security Julius Wooden time to learn the idea and break on the route. He beats Wiglusz to the soccer, for the Cowboys’ third interception of Bennett:
On the fourth interception, Bennett tries to attach with Wiglusz once more on an over route, however merely misses the beneath defender and throws it proper to linebacker Brock Mogensen:
Nonetheless, the Rams have been nonetheless locked in a one-score sport with the Cowboys after they bought the soccer again with just below three minutes to go. A Dallas subject objective had given the Cowboys a 12-6 lead, however Bennett had an opportunity at redemption.
He nearly gave that away.
With the Rams dealing with a do-or-die fourth down early on that drive, Bennett tried to hit Drake Stoops on a dig path to the left aspect of the sphere. After climbing the pocket the second-year passer rips in a throw to Stoops that’s excessive and barely behind the receiver. The ball will get deflected into the air and intercepted, seemingly ending the competition:
However, there’s a flag. A defensive holding penalty on Dallas cornerback Josh Butler — who was within the slot overlaying the vertical route in the course of the sphere — offers the Rams new life.
Los Angeles then managed to drive right down to the Cowboys’ 6-yard line, the place they confronted a fourth-and-goal state of affairs with simply 4 seconds left.
Lastly for Bennett, some redemption:
The preliminary safety is nice, however so too is the protection, and Bennett is operating out of choices. With the left fringe of the pocket beginning to soften Bennett spins away from strain, rolling to his left. He retains his eyes downfield, and spots tight finish Miller Forristall. Forristall had initially run a nook path to the again of the top zone, however as Bennett began to roll the tight finish labored away from protection, discovering some house between defenders.
It was sufficient for Bennett, who rips in a sidearm throw to win the sport.
The second-year passer completed the day having accomplished 24-of-38 passes for 224 yards and the landing, together with the 4 interceptions. That added as much as an NFL Passer Score of 48.5.
In addition to an ideal instance of the way it’s not the way you begin, however the way you end.
