Five Questions Asked of the Rams Before Chargers Preseason Game

1. Stetson Bennett impressed against Dallas. Great. What's Next?

After complimenting Bennett's play on Wednesday, I asked Mike LaFleur what's next for Bennett.

“Just to continue," stated LaFleur. "I mean it was one game, right? We take each practice as it is, one practice and one game as it is. I’m happy for what he did. For the most part, the ball went where it was supposed to. I thought he played with great timing, great anticipation. That ‘lookie’ that he said no to and ended up getting to [Wide Receiver] Xavier Smith on the right side was awesome. It’s an incredible progression within the time of a play. It was cool to see that. I thought most importantly, he operated well. I thought our operation in and out of the huddle was excellent. It’s just them out there. We’re not standing behind there. We can't just call 14 timeouts and make sure we're all set for the next play. He’ll continue to do that, continue to build and play each play as its own.”

Bennett rose to the occasion last week. Let's see if he takes command of the offense as he looks to go 4-0 as the Rams' preseason quarterback.

2. Is Josh Wallace the safety they have been looking for?

Josh Wallace was excellent in the safety role last week, slamming Luke Schoonmaker around while being a bullying presence. The Rams have some hitters, some attitude adjusters. Wallace made a strong case to make the roster, let's see if he can seal the deal.

3. Is Cam Lampkin and/ or A.J. Green the real deal?

Both players were fantastic against the Cowboys. Can they repeat their performance against the Chargers? Let's see what they got, especially with Emmanuel Forbes expected to play as well.

4. How will the rookies on defense respond?

Josaiah Stewart, Ty Hamilton, Pooh Paul, Shaun Dolac, and others played out of their minds against the Cowboys. However, the Chargers are a more physical team with a former first-round quarterback as a backup in Trey Lance. How will they handle the pressure?

5. Xavier Smith. What's next for you?

You cooked the Cowboys; you were one of the most prolific pass catchers against the Saints, and you've been a standout in camp. Xavier Smith, this is your moment. Let's see if you deliver.