Rams mum on whether Matthew Stafford worked out: Takeaways from preseason win
Here are five takeaways from the game and the day:
Rams won't comment on Matthew Stafford situation
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford was scheduled to work out on Saturday, a chance for the 17th-year pro to test his injured back.
But before the Rams played the Chargers at SoFi Stadium, when asked to confirm whether Stafford went through the workout, a Rams official declined to comment and said coach Sean McVay would address the situation Monday.
It was the latest mysterious and potentially troublesome turn in a saga that began at the start of training camp and continues as the Rams prepare for their Sept. 7 opener against the Houston Texans at SoFi Stadium.
Read more: How did the Rams become L.A.'s most valuable sports franchise, soaring past $10 billion?
Stafford, 37, is working through an aggravated disc, according to McVay, a situation that has prevented him from practicing with the team.
Last Saturday, before the Rams' preseason opener against the Dallas Cowboys, Stafford went through a workout in Woodland Hills that included more than 60 passes, McVay said after the Rams' 31-21 victory. The plan was for Stafford to participate in individual drills two days later.
But Stafford did not practice last week. And after a joint practice with the New Orleans Saints on Thursday, McVay said Stafford would go through another workout in Woodland Hills on Saturday.
Aubrey Pleasant, the Rams assistant head coach, served as head coach for the game against the Chargers and appeared for the postgame news conference. McVay was not made available to reporters.
Stetson Bennett comes through
With Stafford's situation apparently not heading in a positive direction, Bennett's ability to back up veteran Jimmy Garoppolo is becoming increasingly urgent.
Bennett completed 28 of 40 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns, including the winning pass to receiver Tru Edwards with five seconds left. He had one pass intercepted.
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh, whose team has been wracked by injuries, played mostly starters for the first series, and Bennett directed a nine-play, 60-yard scoring drive that he capped with a short touchdown pass to rookie receiver Konata Mumpfield.
Bennett connected with receiver Mario Williams for a 38-yard touchdown late in the third quarter to take a 17-15 lead. With the Rams trailing, 22-17, in the fourth quarter, Chargers lineman TeRah Edwards intercepted a pass and returned it 27 yards.
But Bennett connected with receiver Brennan Presley for 40 yards before finding Edwards for the winning touchdown.
Running back Jarquez Hunter played most of the first three quarters and rushed for 55 yards in 15 carries. Cody Schrader rushed for 48 yards in 13 carries, and caught two passes for 24 yards.
Defense holds Justin Herbert-led offense to a field goal
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert and other starters on offense played the opening series, providing the Rams' defense an opportunity to work against an elite passer.
Herbert completed two of five passes for 46 yards during a nine-play drive that ended with Cameron Dicker's 32-year field goal.
Rams outside linebacker Brennan Jackson sacked Herbert for a seven-yard loss.
Linebacker Shaun Dolac finished with a team-best six tackles.
Read more: How Rams rookie Jarquez Hunter forged his 'super power' on Mississippi's rolling greens
Konata Mumpfield and Brennan Presley shine
Mumpfield, a seventh-round draft choice from Pitt, was the talk of training camp.
After a quiet performance against the Cowboys, he appeared to play with more confidence against the Chargers.
Mumpfield caught a two-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter and finished with two catches for 12 yards.
Presley had six catches for 102 yards, including a 40-yard reception in the final minute.
Brennan Jackson records two sacks
Jackson, a second-year pro, sacked Herbert for a seven-yard loss in the first quarter and sacked Taylor Heinicke for an eight-yard loss in the second quarter.
The sacks were a high point for a player who struggled through injury for much of his rookie season, and is competing for a spot in a position group that includes Jared Verse, Byron Young, rookie Josaiah Stewart and veteran Nick Hampton, among others.
Lineman Desjuan Johnson brought pressure on both plays, enabling Jackson to finish with the sacks.
Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
11 minutes ago
- New York Times
Commanders will hold Brian Robinson Jr. out of preseason game vs. Bengals
Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. will not play in the team's preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night, a person familiar with the matter said. Robinson is a healthy scratch, but his future with the team is reportedly in doubt. The Commanders made it known to other teams last year that they'd be willing to move Robinson, one AFC executive said. Multiple reports now indicate that Robinson is still being shopped, and that the decision to not play him Monday night was related to his roster uncertainty. Should the team not be able to find a trading partner, it's plausible that Robinson will be waived. Advertisement Doing so would shake up Washington's running backs room and its starting lineup shortly before the Sept. 7 season opener, and offer the strongest confirmation yet of the team's belief in the future potential of seventh-round rookie Jacory 'Bill' Croskey-Merritt and the versatility of veterans Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols, and third-year back Chris Rodriguez Jr. Washington ranked third in average rushing yards per game last season, but quarterback Jayden Daniels was the team's leading rusher. The Commanders' rushers struggled late in the season as they pushed for the sixth playoff seed in the NFC, leaving Daniels to lead both the pass and run games. Robinson, a third-round draft pick in 2022, is in the final season of his rookie contract and has a $3.4 million base salary. His time in Washington was delayed after he was shot twice in downtown D.C. in August, 2022, as the victim of an attempted robbery. When he returned, he worked in tandem with Antonio Gibson before eventually assuming the lead role. Injuries kept him from playing a full season in either of last two years with the Commanders, but he still led their backs in rushing yards over the past three seasons. (Photo by Greg Fiume / Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Amid trade speculation, Brian Robinson Jr. will not play against Bengals on Monday
On Sunday, NFL Insider Jordan Schultz reported that the Washington Commanders were shopping running back Brian Robinson Jr. Robinson is entering the final year of his rookie contract, but seventh-round draft pick Jacory Croskey-Merritt has flashed through camp and is a lock to make the final 53-man roster. Because of this uncertainty, Mike Garofolo is reporting that Robinson will not play in Monday night's preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals. From the Commanders' perspective, they want to look at their other running backs to see where everyone might fit without Robinson on the roster. From Robinson's perspective, he doesn't want to risk injury in the event that he is traded ahead of 53-man roster cuts next week. Over his three seasons with the Commanders, Robinson averaged 4.1 yards per carry in 41 games, adding 15 touchdowns. He also has seven fumbles, four of which were lost. Jeremy McNichols, Chris Rodriguez, and Austin Ekeler are all vying to make the 53-man roster alongside Robinson and Croskey-Merritt. Washington isn't keeping five running backs, so someone must go. The coaching staff may believe Croskey-Merritt is the future, while they love the versatility that Rodriguez and McNichols provide. Ekeler is a lock because his skill set is different than anyone else's. If the Commanders can land some draft picks in the 2026 NFL draft for Robinson, they'll let him go and move forward with the rest of the running backs. This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders RB Brian Robinson Jr. will not play vs. Bengals
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Stanford names Oregon State transfer Ben Gulbranson starting quarterback for season opener
STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — After spending most of his five seasons at Oregon State as a backup, Ben Gulbranson enters his final college season as the starting quarterback for Stanford. Gulbranson beat out Elijah Brown to earn the job starting, with the Cardinal's season opener under interim coach Frank Reich on Saturday at Hawaii. 'I'm just really grateful to have another opportunity at it with the teammates and coaches and associate staff here that we have at Stanford,' Gulbranson said Monday. 'I think just given the fact that I've played five years in the past, been a part of college football for five years, just knowing that this is my last year and I'm trying to make the most of it and just taking it day by day and do my best each and every day.' Gulbranson transferred to Stanford in late April after being lured by general manager Andrew Luck. He began his career with the Beavers in 2020 and made eight starts in 2022. He started just four games the past two seasons, but his experience helped him win the job over Brown, who made one start for the Cardinal last season as a freshman. 'Ben just did a really good job with the whole thing,' Reich said. 'Good command and mastery of the offense. He did a really good job. Accurate passer, a strong arm guy that can get the ball to all parts of the field. I thought he had good command and control of decision-making. He had good poise in the pocket. So really showed a lot of positive attributes that we're looking for.' Gulbranson's best season came in 2022 when he took over as starter midway through the season and went 7-1 for the Beavers. One of his biggest highlights came in his first start at Stanford when he threw a 56-yard TD pass to Tre'Shaun Harrison with 13 seconds left for a 28-27 comeback win. Gulbranson played in 18 games, with 12 starts for the Beavers, completing 61.8% of his passes for 2,648 yards with 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Gulbranson said he was thrilled to be recruited personally by Luck, a quarterback he grew up watching as he starred in the NFL for Indianapolis after a stellar career at Stanford. Now he relishes the chance to learn from Luck and Reich, who has experience as a quarterback and head coach in the NFL. He said he already has filled up several notebooks with tips. 'Just trying to learn as much as I can from those guys,' Gulbranson said. 'Obviously NFL guys that have seen so much football and learned so much. They are just great teachers. They always have something new that I never even really thought about or heard about.' ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and
