Stetson Bennett IV led the Rams on touchdown drives on their first two possessions and threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter as they opened preseason play with a 31-21 victory over the Dallas Cowboys at SoFi Stadium Saturday.
Bennett completed 16 of 24 passes for 188 yards with one interception in his first game action since an Aug. 17, 2024, preseason game against the Chargers. He has not played in a regular-season game since being chosen by the Rams in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft after leading Georgia to back-to-back national championships.
Bennett completed four of six passes for 71 yards on the opening possession, including a 39-yard pass to Xavier Smith on a fourth-and-6 play from Dallas’ 44-yard line. Blake Corum ran for a 2-yard touchdown three plays later to complete the 11-play, 79-yard drive.
Bennett completed four of six passes for 28 on the second drive. The 13-play, 64-yard drive ended with Corum’s 4-yard touchdown run.
Bennett threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to running back Cody Schrader with 13:10 left in the fourth quarter and a 5-yard touchdown pass to receiver Brennan Presley with 5:57 to play.
The Rams increased their 14-6 halftime lead to 17-6 on Joshua Karty’s 37-yard field goal with 4:13 left in the third quarter.
Brandon Aubrey kicked 35- and 25-yard field goals for the Cowboys in the second quarter.
Joe Milton threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Rivaldo Fairweather with 8:48 to play, then completed a pass to Josh Kelly for a 2-point conversion, cutting the deficit to 24-14.
Dallas quarterback Will Grier ran 8 yards for a touchdown with 2:31 remaining.
Milton completed 17 of 29 passes for 143 yards with one interception.
The Rams outgained the Cowboys 364 yards to 297, led 22-19 in first downs and 33:20-26:40 in time of possession in front of a crowd announced at 70,655.