Forget what you saw in the box score from Stetson Bennett’s preseason win over the Saints on August 22, because the truth about the Los Angeles Rams’ backup quarterback situation is way more concerning than any headline tells you. While some outlets were hyping Bennett as Matthew Stafford’s ready understudy or celebrating him getting his “moxie back,” anyone actually watching the game knows the stats sheet got it totally wrong.
The Box Score Lie
Bennett piled up the numbers against New Orleans, sure, and that’s usually enough to get the box score watchers excited in preseason. But if you actually paid attention to what was happening on the field, it was a completely different story. Bennett did not look like an efficient thrower at all. There’s been a clear, concerning trend over the last two weeks: he’s consistently throwing behind moving receivers. Against the Saints, the ball just sailed on him way too often, and he blew multiple chances for big plays. One guy, Blaine Grisak, even called out a throw behind Daniels on a slant. It’s like Bennett can make the easy throws look tough and the tough throws look easy, but not in a good way, you know? A regular season offense led by Bennett would absolutely struggle for efficiency. His running ability offers a decent floor, which is a positive, but come on, starting defenses are going to clamp down with tighter coverage than these exhibition games. He’s not hitting tight window throws, and he’s missing the hard passes way more often than not.
No Relief in Sight For The Rams
And here’s the kicker: rookie Ty Simpson hasn’t exactly lit the world on fire either. Nobody’s saying he’s convincingly better than Bennett, because he isn’t. Simpson’s second preseason appearance was just more of the same, with all those deep-field competence questions from the opener still hanging around as Thursday’s finale approaches. Honestly, it feels like the Rams just don’t have a reliable backup quarterback right now. Bennett isn’t some experienced Jimmy Garoppolo, and while Simpson might reach that level one day, he’s definitely not there yet.
This is a huge problem. If Matthew Stafford misses even a month of the season, it’s really hard to imagine either Bennett or Simpson stepping up and keeping the team competitive. Simpson might be the safer bet of the two right now, but that’s not exactly a ringing endorsement. The NFC West is going to be incredibly competitive in 2026. Dropping even one game they shouldn’t could easily be the difference between hoisting the division crown or being forced to hit the road for the playoffs. The Rams brought in a ton of talent across the roster this offseason, but it’s looking like they might have completely dropped the ball at the most important position on the field. With the preseason finale rapidly approaching for these guys, the Rams have some serious soul-searching to do. In an NFC West that’s gonna be a dogfight, they can’t afford to be weak at the most important position. We’ll see if they figure it out before the real games start.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Turf Show Times.
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