Here are seven takeaways from the Rams’ 17-15 preseason loss to the Houston Texans on Saturday at NRG Stadium.
Stetson Bennett on track to be backup QB
Rams coach Sean McVay did not take any chances.
With veteran Jimmy Garoppolo suspended by the NFL for the first two games, Bennett was in line to back up Matthew Stafford in the Sept. 8 opener at Detroit. But after the first two preseason games — both of which included multiple turnovers by Bennett that became moot when he tossed fourth-quarter touchdown passes — McVay had not committed to that scenario, saying Bennett was still being evaluated.
McVay made up his mind and kept Bennett out of the line up against the Texans.
Read more: More problems for Rams’ offensive line as Alaric Jackson is suspended
“He got a body of work in terms of both of those games going from wire to wire,” McVay told reporters in Houston after the game. “I think he’s done really well in some of the practice settings.
“When you do look at it, you’re obviously very fortunate to have Jimmy that will be coming back on Week 3. But he’s done enough that we feel good about him for those first couple weeks.”
On Saturday, Dresser Winn played every snap and completed nine of 16 passes for 72 yards. He rushed for 20 yards in three carries.
The Rams finished the preseason with a 2-1 record.
Alaric Jackson’s suspension puts Warren McClendon Jr. in the offensive tackle rotation
Starting left tackle Alaric Jackson is suspended for the first two games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Coupled with Garoppolo’s situation, that opens up two roster spots.
“Obviously, you want those guys to be available,” McVay said. “We anticipate those guys being factors for our football team, and they’ll be back in Week 3. But in the meantime, it does give us two extra spots.”
Right tackle Rob Havenstein has been sidelined since early in training camp because of an ankle injury. If Havenstein can play in the opener, veteran Joe Noteboom or McClendon, a second-year pro, will start at left tackle. Regardless, McClendon will start or play a swing tackle role.
That became obvious when McVay kept McClendon sidelined against the Texans.
AJ Arcuri started at left tackle, Conor McDermott at right tackle.
Omar Speights will make the roster
Speights, an undrafted free agent linebacker from Louisiana State, did not play against the Texans.
General manager Les Snead said during the television broadcast that Speights was not only slated to make the 53-man roster, but the game-day roster as well.
“What he’s done…from start to finish the last two games — as of now he’s on the 48,” Snead said. “And we didn’t want to subject him to possible injury because we could be relying on him on ‘Sunday Night Football.’”
Xavier Smith not slowing down
Smith continued his impressive preseason by catching four passes for 34 yards. He also rushed for 16 yards.
Smith also returned a punt 23 yards.
In three games, Smith caught nine passes for 78 yards.
The question now is whether there is room on the roster for Smith in a receivers group that includes Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, Demarcus Robinson, Tutu Atwell, rookie Jordan Whittington and veteran Tyler Johnson, who did not play on Saturday.
Running back Zach Evans finds the end zone
Evans scored on a four-yard run in the second quarter and a three-yard run in the fourth.
His second touchdown pulled the Rams to within 17-15. But he was stopped short of the goal line on a two-point conversion attempt.
The Texas native, a sixth-round draft pick in 2023, rushed for 45 yards in 14 carries.
With running backs Kyren Williams, Blake Corum and Ronnie Rivers taking roster spots, Evans and veteran Boston Scott are vying for possible roles.
Kicker Joshua Karty hits and misses
Karty, a rookie kicker, made his first four field-goal attempts in the preseason before missing a 52-yard attempt against the Chargers.
On Saturday he rebounded by kicking a 27-yard field goal in the first quarter.
But a conversion attempt after Evans’ second-quarter touchdown run bounced off an upright.
Keenum, Akers and Skowronek make it a Rams reunion
Quarterback Case Keenum, the Rams starting quarterback when they returned to Los Angeles in 2016, started and completed four of eight passes for 32 yards during the first half.
Running back Cam Akers, who returned from 2021 Achilles surgery to play in the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI victory, rushed for 53 yards in seven carries and caught three passes for 19 yards.
Ben Skowronek, also a member of the Super Bowl champion team, caught one pass for four yards.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
