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Rams Winners and Losers: Stetson Bennett Answers the Call Against Saints

Stetson Bennett and the Rams defense stood out in Los Angeles’ dominant 34-0 preseason win over the New Orleans Saints.
Blaine Grisak|
Aug 22, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett IV (13) celebrates after a Los Angeles Rams first down during the second quarter against the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Griffin Hooper-Imagn Images
Aug 22, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett IV (13) celebrates after a Los Angeles Rams first down during the second quarter against the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Griffin Hooper-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams defeated the New Orleans Saints in dominant fashion on Saturday afternoon, 34-0. There were several standout performances worth mentioning in the victory. Stetson Bennett played well in the first half at quarterback and, in a shutout, the entire defense could be talked about. Here are the winners and losers from the Rams’ win over the Saints.

Winner: QB Stetson Bennett

All the talk of a quarterback battle at QB2 clearly put Stetson Bennett on notice. Bennett was dialed in during the first half against the Saints. While his first drive ended in a punt, Bennett’s next four resulted in touchdowns. Both of Bennett’s touchdowns came on the ground.

Bennett finished 19-for-31 for 181 yards and had two rushing touchdowns. His performance didn’t necessarily put the backup quarterback competition to bed, but it’s clear why the Rams trust him in that spot. After a lot of talk of a quarterback battle last week, Bennett delivered on Saturday.

Winner: EDGE Wesley Bailey

While Wesley Bailey seemingly lived in the backfield last week and came close several times, he didn’t quite get a sack. Bailey finally got that sack on Saturday as he took down Zach Wilson for an eight-yard loss. Later in the game, Bailey executed a peanut punch to force a turnover in the red zone.

It’s going to be very difficult for the Rams to leave Bailey off the roster given how he’s played in the preseason, but they also might not have the roster spots. At the very least, Bailey is giving the Rams a tough decision to make. He’s consistently played well in the preseason and made his impact felt against the Saints.

Loser: QB Ty Simpson

To be clear, this doesn’t mean that Simpson played poorly. Context is needed when evaluating his performance. Simpson went 8-for-12 for 73 yards, and the game script made it difficult. The rookie didn’t touch the ball until the Rams had a 27-0 lead. He did lead one scoring drive in the fourth quarter.

Simpson looked comfortable and escaped the pocket a few times to make some plays with his legs. However, he wasn’t as accurate as he was last week. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him get three or more quarters of action in the preseason finale.

Winner: Rams Secondary Depth

It may only be the preseason, but it feels like the Rams have more depth than initially thought, especially in the secondary. Al’Zillion Hamilton had a first-half interception after having a pass breakup last week. In the second half, Alex Cook returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown.

That’s not to mention that Cam Lampkin had a pass breakup on fourth down and has had a fantastic training camp by all accounts. The Rams have done well to develop young players in the secondary. Saturday afternoon was an impressive performance for that group.

Winner: RB Jarquez Hunter

There are many in the Rams fanbase who want Dean Connors to make the final roster. However, for that to happen, Jarquez Hunter would need to lose his spot. That simply hasn’t happened. Hunter rushed 12 times for 68 yards and had an impressive touchdown from 12 yards out. Earlier on that drive, Hunter caught a pass behind the line of scrimmage on 3rd-and-3 and arguably had the play of the game, running through first contact to pick up the first down.

Hunter has played well during the preseason and has at least shown that he can provide quality depth at running back if needed. The Rams drafted him for his explosiveness, but he’s proven to be tough to bring down at the second level. Hunter is a very physical runner. The running back position will be interesting at roster cutdowns, but Hunter is making his case.

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Blaine Grisak
BLAINE GRISAK

Blaine Grisak is the Lead Publisher for Rams on SI covering the Los Angeles Rams. Prior to joining On Sports Illustrated, he covered the Rams for TurfShow Times, attending events such as the NFL Draft, NFL Combine, and Senior Bowl. A graduate of Northeastern University, Blaine grew up in Montana.

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