Stetson Bennett keeps giving the Rams exactly what they need, and the quarterback conversation around him still isn’t really a conversation at all.
The first preseason game set the table for all the noise. Ty Simpson looked sharp against the Kansas City Chiefs, and that was enough to get anxious fans feeling better fast.
Sean McVay added to that optimism by saying Simpson made great decisions in real time throughout the game. On paper, that sounds like the start of a battle.
It wasn’t.
Preseason Week 2 made that clearer. Bennett put together the kind of first half that demands attention, going 19-of-31 for 181 yards while adding two rushing scores.
That performance earned him Player of the Game honors. Simpson came in for the second half and did his part too, finishing 8-of-12 for 73 yards.
The early returns from Week 1 looked strong for Simpson, too. He completed 21 of 25 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns after taking over for the final three quarters.
But those scores came late against Chiefs defenders who are unlikely to make the team. The first touchdown drive was a quick 23-yard march that took four plays.
The second covered 87 yards in eight plays.
Bennett, meanwhile, was the one who helped set the tone in that opener. He put together a 13-play, 73-yard drive that ended with a field goal and produced the game’s first points. Then he followed that up this week by finding his rhythm against the New Orleans Saints.
The bigger picture is simple: Bennett isn’t giving Simpson any ground.
That doesn’t mean he’s being compared to Matthew Stafford in any real sense. Stafford is still the quarterback who makes Sean McVay’s offense hum, and McVay has built enough moving parts into the system to let a player like Stafford work with all the freedom he needs. That flexibility helped power the top-scoring offense in 2025.
Bennett’s path has been different. He was not the clear-cut backup in Los Angeles from the start, and after a rough rookie season, he has worked his way back into relevance by becoming a steadier player on the field.
Even with his best preseason showing last year, he still hasn’t been fully trusted by fans. He has yet to take an official regular-season snap.
Simpson has played well in the preseason. Bennett has too. Both can be true without turning this into a real quarterback fight.
The plan in 2026 was for Simpson to spend enough time on the bench learning the offense inside and out, and that job still hasn’t been finished. Bennett’s own week also told a clear story. He came into the first preseason game after throwing multiple interceptions during a joint practice against the Cowboys, then cleaned that up in the joint practice against the Saints and again on Saturday.
No turnovers.
That’s where this really sits. A lot of people want to frame it as Bennett versus Simpson, but Bennett’s truest competition is with his own mistakes. If he keeps handling that part of the job, he’ll keep shaping his own future.
In Other News...
Stetson Bennett Just Made The Rams Roster Battle A Lot Tougher
The Rams second preseason game turned into a showcase for several young players, and Stetson Bennett made sure the quarterback conversation got louder. In a 34-0 shutout of the Saints, Bennett handled his work efficiently, completing 19 of 31 passes for 181 yards while adding two rushing touchdowns and taking home Player of the Game honors. The performance came with plenty of other names flashing too, including running back Jarquez Hunter, receiver CJ Daniels, edge rusher Wesley Bailey and cornerback Cam Lampkin.
For a roster that still has several battles to sort out, the most encouraging part for Los Angeles is how many players are forcing the issue at once. Bennetts outing stood out most, especially with the team evaluating depth and roles behind the established pieces, while Dean Connors had a quieter night after a more noticeable preseason debut. The Rams still have decisions ahead, but games like this make the margins a lot tighter. [Read more 🡒]
Stetson Bennett Just Gave Rams Fans A Real Backup QB Debate
Stetson Bennett spent the first half of the Rams second preseason game making a real case for himself, and the setting could not have been much calmer for a quarterback trying to make noise. With the defense blanking New Orleans and the offense stacking up four scoring drives before halftime, Bennett went 19 of 31 for 181 yards and added two rushing touchdowns in a 34-0 rout that gave Los Angeles plenty to like on both sides of the ball.
Ty Simpson handled the second half after Bennetts work was done, but the conversation the Rams may have sparked goes beyond one August win. Bennetts ability to keep the offense moving and finish drives adds some weight to a backup quarterback picture that had seemed straightforward enough before kickoff, and hell get one more chance to keep pressing his case when the Rams face the Chargers in the final preseason game on Aug. 27. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Suddenly Have A Real Backup Quarterback Question Behind Stafford
Stetson Bennett IV gave the Rams a useful reminder in their preseason win over the Saints, looking comfortable enough to make the backup quarterback conversation more than a formality. He completed 19 of 31 passes for 181 yards and added two rushing touchdowns, a showing that fit with Sean McVays public praise of Bennetts development and his readiness to serve behind Matthew Stafford.
For a team built around Stafford, the value of a dependable No. 2 is easy to understand, and Bennetts latest outing only sharpened that point. He has yet to appear in a regular-season game, but the Rams appear increasingly convinced he is prepared to step in if called upon, which gives this position a far different feel than a year ago. [Read more 🡒]