Los Angeles Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett saw the fewest pressures of any high dropback QBs in the first week of the NFL Preseason Week 1. According to PFF, the former Georgia Bulldog was only in danger of being sacked on five of his 38 passing attempts.
The Rams’ offensive line deserves a lot of credit. That said, they looked so good because the Dallas Cowboys employed the strategy of resting their starters and any pass rusher of any experience or consequence in that game.
Will Stetson Bennett Look As Poised in the Pocket Against the Chargers?
Now heading into Week 2 against the Los Angeles Chargers, Bennett and his offensive line won’t be afforded the same luxury. If this week is like last the Chargers will not only play select starters for one or two drives, but they will also roll out their quality rotational pass rushers, Tuli Tuipulotu and Tre’Mon Morris-Brash.
Both have been surprises in their own ways. Tuipulotu came in as a second-rounder last year and made an instant impact, racking up 22 pressures and 4.5 sacks, playing 74 percent of defensive snaps. Morris-Brash has been one of the darlings of Chargers’ training camp since being added as an undrafted free agent this spring. In his first NFL snaps last week, Morris-Brash tallied two pressures on just 15 passing downs.
To make matters more difficult for Stetson Bennett, Jesse Minter’s pass-rushing scheme, doesn’t limit who rushes the passer and through one week, he hasn’t been shy about putting his schemes on tape. His signature simulated pressures, stunts, and twists were all on full display. This will put more strain on the Rams’ offensive line, more by far than what they saw against the Cowboys.
Even with all that protection, Bennett laid an egg last Saturday. He threw four official interceptions and took two sacks. On the positive side, He looked far more comfortable with the offense and in the pocket, but that could look much different this Saturday against a formidable pass rush.
