Rams vs Chargers preseason Week 2: 7 storylines fans must monitor

(1) - How will Stetson Bennett perform in Week 2?

If Stetson Bennett is the type of football player who wilts under pressure as some disapproving fans have harshly suggested, then this game is ripe for all versions of disasters. The guy is coming off a four-interception, one-touchdown performance in Game 1. The team knows that he is expected to fill the vital role of backup quarterback in Weeks 1 and 2 of the 2024 regular season. Starting quarterback Matthew Stafford was pulled from joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys due to 'hamstring tightness,' which is such a generic and ambiguous

So much pressure.

And yet, Bennett seems to be at his best with his back against the wall. He certainly seemed to be at his best with just 2:52 left in the game, with first-down and 15 yards to go. He was eight for nine for 61 yards, sacked twice for a loss of nine yards, and threw the game-winning touchdown with just four seconds left in the game.

That is performing in the clutch.

How will he follow up that performance? In 2023, he started strong but as the talent around him was depleted, his performance fell drastically. And it may have been those devastating struggles in 2023 that prompted him to step away from the game for a year. That absence certainly seemed to be the reason behind HC Sean McVay telling his young hurler to 'just throw it and have fun.'

Perhap the most important storyline in Game 2 is how Stetson Bennett responds.

If he follows last year's pattern, this will surely create problems for him to remain in good standing with the team. And that in turn will create huge headaches for the team starting out this season. But if he responds with a strong Game 2, he could endear himself to fans while cementing himself as the true backup quarterback to start this season.

There is no real middle ground at this point. Bennett must either improve, or not. Whichever way Game 2 turns out will have a huge effect on how the team views his role with the team going forward.

That's a lot for one preseason game, isn't it? Don't worry. We will follow up after the game to help you track how these storylines play out.

And as always, thank you for reading.