Rams stun Chargers in preseason thriller, 23-22: Instant analysis of LA's dramatic win

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18 hours ago

The Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers continued their fight for L.A. on Saturday at SoFi Stadium, squaring off in Week 2 of the preseason. The Chargers came in as arguably the best team in the preseason, going 2-0 in their first two games with convincing wins in each.
They played some of their starters for a series in this one, unlike Sean McVay and the Rams, but Stetson Bennett still took care of business yet again. The Rams' third-string, third-year quarterback was excellent from start to finish, only making one mistake in the game.
He led the Rams to a thrilling comeback win over the Chargers thanks to a game-winning touchdown pass to Tru Edwards with 5 seconds left, which came just after hitting Brennan Presley with a 40-yard prayer down the field on fourth-and-10. It was as dramatic a preseason game as you'll see, finishing with a final score of 23-22.
Final score: Rams 23, Chargers 22
Numbers to know
458: The Rams put up 458 yards of total offense, outgaining the Chargers significantly.
324: Stetson Bennett threw for 324 yards, more than the 291 yards of total offense the Chargers had as a team.
26: The Rams had 26 first downs in the win, 10 more than the Chargers.
1: The Rams only allowed 1 sack and one tackle for a loss in the entire game.
It was over when…
... Bennett hit Edwards with the game-winning touchdown pass with 5 seconds left. That sealed the deal for the Rams, completing the dramatic comeback victory.
3 stars of the game
Stetson Bennett – 28-for-40, 324 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
Brennan Presley – 6 catches, 102 yards
Xavier Smith – 4 catches, 49 yards
Play of the game
The play of the game was Bennett's 40-yard bomb to Brennan Presley at the end of the fourth quarter to set up the game-winning touchdown. That was on fourth-and-10, too, only adding to the dramatics.
An honorable mention goes to Bennett's 38-yard dot to Mario Williams for a touchdown. This was one of the best throws you'll see all preseason long, Rams or not. Bennett put it right on the receiver's numbers down the seam. Bennett fit it in between two defenders and showed excellent accuracy, as well as impressive arm strength – something he's not always known for.
What's next?
The Rams will regroup on Monday and return to practice as they prepare for their final preseason game. That will be against the Cleveland Browns next Saturday, an early 10 a.m. PT kickoff on the road. It will be the last chance for players to prove themselves before final cuts, so it's an important matchup even though it won't affect the Rams' regular-season record.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams vs. Chargers: Analysis, recap of LA's thrilling preseason win