The Good and Not So Good From Rams-Cowboys Preseason Game

The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Dallas Cowboys in preseason action 31-21 on Saturday. While the Rams did rest many of their starters and backups, the players who did see play time made moves to secure their football futures. Here's the good and not-so-good from the game.

The Good

Stetson Bennett

What more needs to be said? Stetson Bennett take a bow. On the night he needed to deliver, on the night he needed to rise to the occasion, with the entire NFL looking at him, he didn't show up, he showed out, establishing the Rams as the team with the best quarterback room in the NFL.

Xavier Smith

Xavier Smith's performance led to two rushing scores from Blake Corum. Smith showed off the speed and the skills to be more than just a "gadget" player. Smith is a legitimate wide receiver who is peaking at the right time.

Pooh Paul Jr

Pooh Paul was a tackling machine on Saturday night and while his physical skills were evident, he displayed the ability to command, an ability his collegiate play promised. If anyone has read what I wrote about Paul throughout the draft process and upon his selection, I praised his ability to communicate.

He wore the green dot, he was defensive signal caller, and under his command, the defense failed to find themselves out of position, maintaining air superiority, despite Joe Milton's massive arm. A strong performance from Paul.

The Lampkins

Both Cam and Willie Lampkin impressed. Cam hauled in the Rams' only interception of the game and remained one of the strong points in coverage. Willie, an All-American lineman who paved the way for Omarion Hampton's insane collegiate career, showed that while he's undersized, his ability to maintain leverage overcame physical shortcomings.

If Lampkin continues to excel at center, the Rams might move Beaux Limmer to guard. In the best-case scenario, the Rams are developing the replacements for Coleman Shelton and Kevin Dotson. Worst case, the Rams are developing competent, versatile backups.

The Not So Good

Ronnie Rivers

Rivers did everything right but he's fighting for reps in a loaded running back room. Rivers would leave the game early due to injury and on a night where Blake Corum scored two touchdowns, Jarquez Hunter flashed his explosiveness and physicality, and where Code Schrader finished as the team's highest performing runner, Rivers did not need this to happen to him. Unfortunate luck.

Konata Mumpfield

While Mumpfield has done enough to earn his place, including a wild one-handed snag on a tipped pass, Mumpfield did drop a wide-open pass and on the only 50/50 ball he saw, the type of ball he makes plays on, the ball was intercepted.

To be fair, the ball floated in the air a bit too long and because of the route he was running, he wasn't in position to make the type of jump needed to catch the ball, a player needs to at least ensure the ball hits the ground.

Brennan Jackson

Jackson, a player who struggled to break into the 53-man roster last season, is facing competition from Josaiah Stewart (who recorded his first sack of his career on Saturday) and Keir Thomas had an opportunity to make a big play.

Off a Dallas jet sweep, Jackson had his eyes on the ball carrier and was in position where if he took a step to close the gap between himself and the ball carrier, he would have closed off the only lane that leads to positive yards. He didn't and Dallas got a positive gain.

Pass rushing is one thing but an EDGE player must be able to seal the edge no matter what. Let's see how Jackson will respond.

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