INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Another quarterback might have been a bit shaken after throwing a fourth-quarter interception to a 305-pound defensive tackle — and then getting run over by the big man while he rumbled downfield with the ball.
After two national championship runs at Georgia, Stetson Bennett knows more about pressure situations than most quarterbacks currently getting snaps in the NFL preseason.
He shook off his only major mistake Saturday night and coolly led the Los Angeles Rams to another preseason win.
Bennett hit Tru Edwards with an 8-yard touchdown pass with 5 seconds left, rallying the Rams to a 23-22 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Bennett passed for 324 yards and three scores in his second straight sharp preseason performance — even if he failed to anticipate the ball-hawking skill and silky lateral movement of TeRah Edwards, the hulking rookie who made the play of the night.
“I ain’t touched the ball in years, so, yeah, it was blessing,” Edwards said. “I was trying to take it as far as I could, man. I ain’t never scored a touchdown in my life, so I was trying. Played a little running back in my Little League days, you know. I’ve always been a lineman, so that’s always a big guy’s dream.”
Edwards, who never had an interception in five seasons split between Northwestern and Illinois, picked off Bennett’s throw, thundered downfield and even threw a head fake before plowing over Bennett. He finally tripped at midfield to end his 29-yard return with 6:35 to play, setting off an unsurprisingly unhinged celebration on the Bolts’ sideline.
“It was a great play,” Bennett said with a shrug. “It was hard to see. It was a really good play, (but) then we’ve got to go win a football game, and our defense gave us a second opportunity after we didn’t convert on the first one.”
Indeed, after the Rams’ (2-0) next drive ended on downs, Bennett reset himself and drove his offense downfield in the waning seconds. Brennan Presley made an acrobatic 40-yard catch between two defenders with 11 seconds left, setting up Edwards’ winning catch on the next play.
“When you give up an interception in that situation and you come back and you just respond, that’s what life is about,” said Aubrey Pleasant, who served as the Rams’ head coach for the game. “That’s what we want to see specifically from a quarterback. … I just really understand his cool, calm demeanor. We’ve all seen him win a couple of national championships in college, and you see some of that threadwork.”
Sean McVay handed the reins for the night to Pleasant, his assistant head coach and passing game coordinator.
Justin Herbert went 2 of 5 for 46 yards while playing the opening series in his first-ever preseason game for the Chargers (2-1), who were the visiting team at the clubs’ shared stadium.
Luke Grimm returned a punt 66 yards for the Bolts’ go-ahead touchdown with 12:36 left.
Trey Lance passed for 121 yards, and second-round pick Tre Harris had six catches for 85 yards.
Herbert never played in an exhibition game before his first five NFL seasons, but the Chargers’ $262.5-million quarterback asked for some limited action in this outing to get some work with the Bolts’ revamped offense, which is now missing starting left tackle Rashawn Slater.
Herbert’s only series was interrupted when receiver Quentin Johnston went down hard and left the field on a cart. Herbert also took a sack two plays before the Chargers kicked a field goal.
“I was happy with the action that both our first-team defense and first-team offense got in this game,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “We needed it. It helped us.”
Raheim Sanders rushed for a 1-yard TD in the third quarter set up by Lance’s exceptional 34-yard completion to Harris.
Bennett hit Mario Williams for a 38-yard touchdown on the final play of the third, putting a beautiful downfield throw directly in the hands of the former USC receiver. Bennett also threw a 2-yard TD pass to rookie Konata Mumpfield in the first half.
Grimm, an undrafted rookie receiver who only returned five punts in five seasons at Kansas, broke through the Rams’ coverage unit and got down the Chargers’ sideline for a score.
No comment
Harbaugh refused to comment on the NCAA’s decision Friday to fine the University of Michigan tens of millions of dollars and to suspend coach Sherrone Moore for a third game over a sign-stealing scandal that occurred under Harbaugh’s watch.
“Like I said to you last year, not engaging,” Harbaugh said. “Not engaging.”
No comment Part 2
Matthew Stafford was scheduled to go through a lengthy throwing workout before Saturday’s game, but the Rams would not confirm whether the 37-year-old quarterback did it. Stafford has yet to practice since the start of training camp because of an aggravated disk in his back. McVay didn’t speak to reporters after the game. The Rams return to practice Monday.
Up next
The Chargers finish the preseason in Santa Clara against the 49ers on Aug. 23.
The Rams travel nearly 2,400 miles to face the Cleveland Browns on Aug. 23.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL
