Rams vs Cowboys preseason Week 1: 12 storylines fans must monitor

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(12) - Can Rams avoid fighting in joint practice?

The LA Rams and Dallas Cowboys have had a rather robust history in recent years of scheduling joing practice / scrimmage sessions. Invariably, through one reason or another, those sessions have been interrupted by outbreak of competitive hostilities that many consider fighting. The problem with that tradition is that teams that engage in outright fighting in joint practices this season will be severely punished.

It's never easy to remain cool, calm, and collected at joint scrimmages. This is still summer, and the temperature that NFL players must endure in these scripted scrimmages can boil over into skirmishes rather quickly. After all, getting 'hot under the collar,' is a universally accepted term in the English language for getting angry, and it's impossible not to get hot under the collar under these conditions.

The Detroit Lions and New York Giants were each fined $200,000 respectively for allowing multiple fights to break out at joint practices between the two football teams this summer. That is a pretty hefty financial penalty to incur for first time offenders.

News: The NFL confirmed that the Lions and Giants organizations have each been fined $200,000 for multiple fights that broke out at the joint practices between the clubs this week. All NFL clubs were reminded in a memo sent last month that fighting and unprofessional conduct at…
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 7, 2024

Let's hope that the Rams show a bit more self discipline.

(11) - When and how well will backup quarterback Stetson Bennett play?

Despite missing the entirety of the 2023 NFL season, second-year quarterback Stetson Bennett is back for the LA Rams and has been quietly assembling a rather quiet but impressive training camp so far. While he was getting more frequent reports as a new rookie quarterback in 2023 from training camp, his positive reports are earned this season.

Like this long bomb thrown to rookie wide receiver Jordan Whittington. Bennett has an arm that can make some impressive pass plays to match his speed and elusiveness at running with with the football. And now, in season two, he has far more wisdom and experience in making the decisions about which option to select.

Stetson Bennett bomb to Jordan Whittington. I thought initially Bennett overthrew the ball but Whittington tracked it down for a 1 handed over the shoulder catch. Whittington has been getting more and more snaps in camp. Could be a key contributor this season. #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/h9Ow0AeA6P
— Allen Sales (@AllenSales) July 31, 2024

Against the Los Angeles Chargers, the Rams offense was content to scrimmage with just QB Matthew Stafford and backup QB Jimmy Garoppolo. While that may be the case for the joint scrimmage between the Rams and Cowboys, it will be an entirely different matter altogether when the two teams square off in the first preseason game of 2024. In that game, I expect fans to see a lot of Bennett under center.

If he continues along his current training camp trend, it will be a performance worth watching.

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