Stetson Bennett Reflects on 4 INT vs. Cowboys: 'There Were Some Lapses, Obviously'
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett was candid about his individual struggles during the team's 13-12 preseason victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night.
"There were some lapses, obviously, but in the end, it was get the ball in the end zone or you lose, and I think everybody kind of helped to do it," Bennett said, per Stu Jackson of the team's official website.
The 26-year-old wrapped up a polarizing performance against Dallas, as he completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 224 yards and threw the game-winning touchdown to tight end Miller Forristall with four seconds left in regulation.
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However, he also struggled to take care of the ball and finished the contest with four interceptions. Turnovers have been an issue for Bennett to begin his NFL career, as he was picked off three times throughout three preseason games in 2023.
The former Georgia standout was honest about his struggles on Sunday, telling reporters afterwards that "it seemed like it was me, pretty much, who stopped us today" (via Jackson).
Rams head coach Sean McVay didn't place the blame squarely on Bennett for all four interceptions, although he explained that he needs to make "better decisions."
"The first two [interceptions] were tough because those are kind of occupational hazards. He will be able to learn from them," McVay said in his press conference (h/t Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk). "The second two, we have to be able to make better decisions. … [H]e is a resilient guy. All of them are ones that he can learn from, and I thought he did a really good job of being able to keep us ahead of the sticks [and] really moving us down the field. We obviously kind of petered out in the red zone, but I thought he did a great job getting us in and out of the huddle."
He also praised Bennett's poise throughout the final drive, staying alive on fourth down with just over two minutes left due to a defensive holding penalty before converting on another fourth down opportunity to score the final touchdown.
"I want to be able to learn from those plays, but for him to be able to just stay together [and] make some of the plays — I thought the fourth down, where we ended up drawing the penalty to be able to advance the drive and then for him to create off-schedule on fourth-and-6 was big time," McVay said.
"[I] was pleased with him," he added.
While Bennett sat behind Matthew Stafford on the Rams' depth chart, he missed his rookie season following a Week 1 shoulder injury due to mental health-related reasons.
Although he's still expected to remain behind Stafford, he'll look to achieve more consistency as he progresses through the 2024 preseason. Bennett's next opportunity to shake off some rust will come against the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday.
