The Los Angeles Rams kicked off their preseason with a late-second 13-12 victory over the Dallas Cowboys at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, as quarterback Stetson Bennett IV found Miller Forristall in the end zone with four seconds left in the fourth quarter to tie the game before the extra point gave Los Angeles the lead.
The Cowboys traded a fourth-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers for quarterback Trey Lance with the hopes that he could develop into at least be good enough to back up Dak Prescott. While Lance appeared to get more comfortable as the game wore on, he didn't do enough to threaten Cooper Rush‘s job Sunday. Lance did show off his impressive arm strength with quality zip on his passes, but he was often a tick late and inaccurate on his throws. He finished 25-of-41 for 188 yards. On the positive side, Lance did show the ability to create offense with his legs, gaining 44 yards from six carries.
PFF's dedicated team of graders was hard at work, analyzing every player on every play in real time. The grades and data will be available after a thorough review tomorrow at 12 p.m. EST.
In the meantime, we’ve gathered some high-level data and snap counts from the game to give you an early look. Our expert graders have also nominated the standout player of the game, highlighting exceptional performance on the field.
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PLAYER OF THE GAME
While it is too early to compare him to Puka Nacua, the Rams appear to have unearthed another late-round gem at wide receiver with Jordan Whittington. The Texas product was fantastic in the first half, recording six receptions from nine targets for 74 yards, picking up four first downs for the Rams offense in the process. Whittington's ability to make contested catches (two-for-two on contested catches) and create positive gains after the catch (36 yards after the catch and one forced missed tackle) had to impress Sean McVay and the Rams coaching staff. Whittington has drawn rave reviews throughout Rams camp, and Sunday's performance just showed why.
BOX SCORE
| Cowboys | Rams | |
| Total points | 12 | 13 |
| Total offensive plays | 70 | 68 |
| Average EPA per play | -0.163 | -0.164 |
| Total net yards | 314 | 346 |
| Avg yards per play | 4.5 | 5.1 |
| Total first downs | 19 | 20 |
| Rushing first downs | 5 | 4 |
| Passing first downs | 13 | 13 |
| Penalty first downs | 1 | 3 |
| Third-down efficiency | 38% | 29% |
| Fourth-down efficiency | 20% | 63% |
| Possessions | 9 | 9 |
| Avg plays per drive | 8 | 7.7 |
| Avg yards per drive | 31.4 | 34.6 |
| Avg points per drive | 1.2 | 1.3 |
| Red-zone posessions | 4 | 3 |
| Red-zone plays | 12 | 10 |
| Red-zone TDs | 0 | 1 |
| Red-zone FGs | 3 | 1 |
| Red-zone scoring efficiency | 75% | 67% |
SNAP COUNTS & PLAYER PARTICIPATION
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