INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Stetson Bennett rebounded from throwing a fourth-quarter interception to 305-pound defensive tackle TeRah Edwards, hitting Tru Edwards with an 8-yard touchdown pass with 5 seconds left while leading the Los Angeles Rams to a 23-22 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday night.
Bennett passed for 324 yards and three scores in his second straight sharp preseason performance — even if he failed to anticipate the ball-hawking skill and silky lateral movement of the hulking Edwards, who never had an interception in five seasons split between Northwestern and Illinois.
The rookie picked off Bennett's throw, thundered downfield and even threw a head fake before plowing over Bennett and finally tripping at midfield to end his 29-yard return with 6:35 to play, setting off an unsurprisingly unhinged celebration on the Bolts' sideline.
But Bennett shook it off with the poise of a two-time national champion and drove the Rams (2-0) downfield in the final seconds. Brennan Presley made an acrobatic 40-yard catch between two defenders with 11 seconds to play, setting up Edwards' winning catch on the next play.
Justin Herbert went 2 of 5 for 46 yards while playing the opening series in his first-ever preseason game for the Chargers (2-1), who were the visiting team at the clubs' shared stadium.
Luke Grimm returned a punt 66 yards for the Bolts' go-ahead touchdown with 12:36 left.
Trey Lance passed for 121 yards, and second-round pick Tre Harris had six catches for 85 yards.
Herbert never played in an exhibition game before his first five NFL seasons, but the Chargers’ $262.5-million quarterback asked for some limited action in this outing to get some work with the Bolts’ revamped offense, which is now missing starting left tackle Rashawn Slater.
Herbert’s only series was interrupted when receiver Quentin Johnston went down hard and left the field on a cart. Herbert also took a sack two plays before the Chargers kicked a field goal.
Raheim Sanders rushed for a 1-yard TD in the third quarter set up by Lance’s exceptional 34-yard completion to Harris.
Bennett hit Mario Williams for a 38-yard touchdown on the final play of the third, putting an exceptional downfield throw directly in the hands of the former USC receiver. The two-time national champion quarterback at the University of Georgia also threw a 2-yard TD pass to rookie Konata Mumpfield in the first half.
Grimm, an undrafted rookie receiver who only returned five punts in five seasons at Kansas, broke through the Rams' coverage unit and got down the Chargers' sideline for a score.
Aubrey Pleasant served as the Rams' head coach for the game, with Sean McVay handing the reins to his assistant head coach and passing game coordinator.
Up next
The Chargers finish the preseason in Santa Clara against the 49ers on Aug. 23.
The Rams travel nearly 2,400 miles to face the Cleveland Browns on Aug. 23.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL
