Resilience was the theme of Sunday's preseason opener between the Rams and Cowboys. After throwing four interceptions, Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett rebounded by throwing the game-winning touchdown pass while leading the home team to a 13-12 win over Dallas.
Trailing for most of the second half, the Rams won the game after driving 70 yards on 13 plays on their final possession. The winning score came on 4th-and-goal as Bennett scrambled around before finding tight end Miller Forristall in the end zone.
Despite the turnovers, Bennett was able to lead the game's only drive that ended with a touchdown. Each of the Cowboys' scores came courtesy of Brandon Aubrey, who made four of his five field goal tries. All but one of the Cowboys' scoring drives took place with former first-round pick Trey Lance under center. Lance threw for 188 yards on 25 of 41 passing.
Here's our biggest takeaways from Sunday's showdown.
Trey Lance shows promise
With Lance, it's important to evaluate him not as a former No. 3 overall pick but simply as a young quarterback who is still finding his way in the NFL. When looking at Lance's Sunday under that lens, there was plenty to like.
After a slow start (he went 8 of 17 in the first half), Lance found somewhat of a rhythm as the game progressed. He completed 17 of his 24 attempts in the second half while directing two scoring drives and two other drives that could have led to points. Lance was also the Cowboys' leading rusher with 44 yards on six carries.
Lance had some passes that were off the mark, like his incompletion to Jalen Moreno-Cropper on 4th-and-goal at the end of the first quarter. But for the most part, it was a positive step for Lance, who is still in the midst of his first full season with the Cowboys.
Bennett hangs tough
Stetson Bennett
LAR • QB • #13
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It had been nearly a full year since Bennett played in a live game, and his rustiness showed for the most part. But in fairness to him, Rams coach Sean McVay eschewed a conservative game plan that would normally be in place for a player with such little experience.
McVay let Bennett air it out, and the result was a mixed bag of nice plays and ugly ones that on Sunday came in the form of four picks. But to his credit, Bennett didn't lose his confidence as he calmly led his team on a game-winning drive that included more high percentage throws.
Bennett's touchdown was a microcosm of his day. After getting himself into unnecessary trouble (he initially had running back Boston Scott open underneath but missed him), Bennett still managed to keep his eyes downfield. That, coupled with his athleticism, led to him throwing the game-winning score.
Young receivers show out
With both teams' established wideouts inactive, several young receivers took advantage of their increased reps. For the Cowboys, those wideouts were Jalen Brooks and Kelvin Harman, while the Rams enjoyed solid performances from Jordan Whittington and Sam Wiglusz.
Brooks' 43-yard catch from Cooper Rush (who only played in one drive) on the Cowboys' opening drive set up Dallas' first score. Harmon caught both of his targets that included a nifty snag on a throw from Lance in the second half that helped set up Aubrey's fourth and final field goal.
A sixth-round pick out of Texas, Whittingham caught six passes for 74 yards that included a 30-yard reception on the game's opening drive. Wiglusz, a fellow rookie from Ohio who went undrafted, made a couple of tough catches as he looks to snatch a spot on either the Rams' 53-man roster or their practice squad.
Defenses look the part
It was a preseason game, so it's hard to make general statements about specific units given the amount of starters who didn't play on both sides. That being said, there was a lot to like in terms of the defense that was on display by both teams, especially in the secondary.
Specifically, Cowboys third-year safety Markquese Bell had a big game with nine tackles as well as the Cowboys' first pick of Bennett. Cornerback Eric Scott Jr., safety Julius Wood and rookie linebacker Brock Mogensen also had picks.
While they didn't get any turnovers, the Rams' defense made up for it by not allowing the Cowboys to reach the end zone. Los Angeles largely accomplished that by pressuring Lance on possession downs. One example of the Rams' success in those situations was when linebacker Zach VanValkenburg sacked Lance on fourth down early in the fourth quarter.
