The Los Angeles Rams’ second preseason game was much more stress-free than the first. They went up 20-0 on the New Orleans Saints in the first half and cruised to an easy victory on Saturday, dominating on both sides of the ball.
Neither team played its starters after Thursday’s joint practice in Woodland Hills, but the Rams’ backups were clearly much better than New Orleans’. It’s a compliment to the depth the Rams have developed across the roster, with several players standing out as bright spots in the win.
A pick-six by Alex Cook in the second half and a touchdown run by Jarquez Hunter in the fourth quarter put the game away, capping off an impressive victory by Los Angeles.
OLB Wesley Bailey
It’s going to be hard to leave Bailey off the 53-man roster, simply because of the potential he possesses. Yes, he’s going up against backups, but he brings a great combination of speed, athleticism and length on the edge. He was dominant against the Saints, recording five tackles, one sack, two tackles for a loss and four QB hits.
After stuffing the stat sheet in the first half, he added a forced fumble to the box score in the third quarter, preventing a potential Saints touchdown near the goal line.
QB Stetson Bennett
After only playing two series in the preseason opener, Bennett played the entire first half, and he took advantage of the longer look. He completed 19 of 31 passes for 181 yards, also rushing for two touchdowns in the red zone. It wasn’t perfect, as he sailed a few throws that were out of the reach of his receivers, but for the most part, he was sharp.
He orchestrated a great two-minute drive at the end of the first half to add three points to the Rams’ lead, and on the whole, he was throwing on time and in rhythm. It may not be a great sign that the Rams gave him additional playing time than last week, but if Sean McVay wanted to see more, that’s exactly what Bennett gave the coaching staff.
WR CJ Daniels
Daniels showed flashes in the first preseason game but he really shined in Week 2. He was targeted 12 times by Bennett in the first half alone, catching eight of those passes for 68 yards. He looked confident catching the ball, too, going up with aggressive hands to bring it in.
He could become a factor as a rookie this year if there’s an injury at wide receiver, showing some of his potential on Saturday afternoon.
S Alex Cook
It was only one play, but it was a big one – and it was enough to make Cook a standout performer for the Rams. In the third quarter, Cook read Spencer Rattler’s eyes and jumped the route, intercepting the pass and returning it 100 yards for a touchdown.
He finished with one tackle on defense and one on special teams.
RT Austin Blaske
Keagen Trost is injured right now but Blaske has been a bright spot at right tackle. He played well against the Saints, both in pass protection and the run game, making a case to stick on the practice squad if he does get cut next weekend.
The Rams didn’t allow a single sack and gained 5 yards per carry on the ground, a testament to the play of the entire offensive line.
RB Jarquez Hunter
Hunter could be close to the roster bubble, so he needed a good game against the Saints, and that’s what he delivered. He rushed for 68 yards on 12 carries, including a nifty 12-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to put the game away.
It was good to see his agility and contact balance on that touchdown run, beyond just running over players with his sheer power and strength.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: 6 standouts from Rams’ 34-0 win over Saints
Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire | USA TODAY Network
