Rams Secure 31-21 Win Over Cowboys in Preseason Opener

Stetson Bennett showcased his skills on Saturday night, throwing for 188 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Los Angeles Rams to a 31-21 victory against the Dallas Cowboys. This matchup marked the debut of new Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer.

With Bennett at the helm, the Rams executed two successful offensive drives, both capped by short touchdown runs from Blake Corum. The former Georgia quarterback, a two-time national champion, is vying for the role of third-string quarterback for another season.

Demonstrating significant improvement from last year's performance against the Cowboys, Bennett completed 16 of 24 passes. He connected with Cody Schrader and Brennan Presley for touchdowns in the second half. His only interception came from a remarkable defensive play by Dallas' Israel Mukuamu on a deep throw.

On the other side, Joe Milton made a solid impression for the Cowboys, passing for 143 yards before leaving the game with an elbow injury in the fourth quarter. He managed to throw a touchdown pass to Rivaldo Fairweather with 8:48 remaining. Milton's performance included one interception and a completion rate of 17 for 29 as he aims to secure his position as Dak Prescott's backup.

Will Grier took over for Milton during the final series and added a rushing touchdown with just 2:31 left on the clock.

Both teams opted to rest several key players, including Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, who were sidelined along with other starters. Micah Parsons was present at the game despite his recent trade request amid ongoing contract negotiations with owner Jerry Jones.

The Rams also chose not to play second-string quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. However, Matthew Stafford, who has been recovering from a back injury and did not participate in training camp, engaged in an extensive workout prior to the game, gearing up for his return to practice on Monday.

In terms of rushing, Schrader led Los Angeles with 59 yards, while rookie Jarquez Hunter contributed 41 yards and Corum added 32 yards to the mix.

The atmosphere remained friendly throughout the game, following a joint practice held just four days earlier between the two teams during Dallas' annual training camp in Oxnard, California.

This game marked Schottenheimer's first outing as head coach at age 51. A seasoned assistant with experience at USC, the San Diego Chargers, and two stints with the St. Louis Rams, he transitioned from his role as Dallas' offensive coordinator to replace Mike McCarthy last January.

While Schottenheimer aimed to keep his offensive strategies under wraps during preseason, he quickly engaged in one of his new responsibilities by challenging a sideline catch made by Rams' Xavier Smith on a 39-yard pass from Bennett during the opening drive—though this challenge was unsuccessful.

Despite being in street clothes, Lamb found himself involved in the action when he received a penalty in the second quarter after an official collided with him while he was standing on the sideline. Lamb fell but quickly got up laughing.

The Cowboys will conduct three more practices in Oxnard before returning home to face Baltimore next Saturday. Meanwhile, the Rams are set for a joint practice with the Chargers on Wednesday ahead of their matchup against their crosstown rivals next Saturday.