Stetson Bennett responds to a 4-interception game

In his preseason debut, Los Angeles Rams backup quarterback Stetson Bennett threw four interceptions against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

“I don’t know,” Bennett said, via the team transcript. “I think it’s really good to have, you know, that was probably the weirdest game I’ve ever been a part of. Yeah, I don’t know. But I told myself today, we’re going to roll with the punches. My goal was to not make any mental mistakes, which I know that … basically was to execute the offense correctly. And I know interceptions are different, but just kind of getting in and out of the huddle, executing. And I think we did that for the most part of the day. There were some lapses, obviously, but at the end of the day, it was either get the ball in the end zone or lose, and I think everybody helped do that.”

Bennett completed 24 of 38 passes for 224 yards. He threw the game-winning touchdown pass in the final seconds to secure the victory.

Bennett is in the middle of a fight for the No. 2 job behind Matthew Stafford. Jimmy Garoppolo is currently the backup quarterback, but he won’t play any preseason games and faces a two-game suspension at the start of the season.

Before the Rams’ first preseason game, Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay revealed what he was looking for in Bennett’s starting quarterback position.

“The command, the control, being able to get in and out of the huddle,” McVay said, when asked what he wants to see from Bennett in his preseason performances. “I mean, there’s so much that goes into the quarterback position as far as just calling the play, getting to the line of scrimmage, making sure everyone’s prepared, sending any type of motion and then being able to play and trust your instincts after the snap. But I want to be able to see that, and I want to see him enjoy his opportunity to compete. When I’ve seen him at his best, he’s having fun, and that’s really consistent across all players.”

The Rams selected the Georgia alum in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft, 128th overall. Bennett saw action in the preseason last year, but after Week 1 of the season, the 26-year-old left the Rams due to mental health issues.

Because he missed his rookie season, this is Bennett’s chance to make a name for himself in the NFL, but after Sunday’s performance, there’s certainly room for improvement.