INGLEWOOD, Calif. — A year ago, Stetson Bennett threw four interceptions against these same Dallas Cowboys and barely survived the night. On August 9, 2025, at SoFi Stadium, he answered that performance with one of the cleanest preseason outings of his professional career.
Bennett went 16-of-24 for 188 yards, two touchdowns, and posted a 100.7 passer rating as the Los Angeles Rams handled Dallas 31-21 in Preseason Week 1. The Rams outgained the Cowboys 364-297 in total yards and held a 160-1 advantage in first-quarter yardage — a gap that told the whole story of how lopsided the opening half really was.
Table of Contents
Game Snapshot
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, August 9, 2025 |
| Venue | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA |
| Attendance | 70,655 |
| Broadcast | ABC7 (KABC) |
| Final Score | Rams 31, Cowboys 21 |
Final Score
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 0 | 6 | 0 | 15 | 21 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 14 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 31 |
How the Game Unfolded
Los Angeles wasted no time. Blake Corum punched in a 2-yard touchdown run on the Rams’ opening drive, then did it again from four yards out to cap a second consecutive scoring march. Both drives were methodical — 11 and 13 plays respectively — and left Dallas without a single yard of total offense through the first quarter.
Dallas responded with a pair of Brandon Aubrey field goals in the second quarter to make it 14-6 at halftime, but the Cowboys never fully closed the gap. Joshua Karty’s 37-yard field goal in the third extended Los Angeles’ lead to 17-6, and Bennett put the game away in the fourth with touchdown passes to Cody Schrader and Brennan Presley.
Dallas did show some life late. Joe Milton connected with Rivaldo Fairweather on a 7-yard score with 8:48 remaining, then Will Grier capped a final drive with an 8-yard rushing touchdown with 2:31 left to make it a two-score game. It was too little, too late.
Bennett’s Night: A Statement Performance
The context matters here. In last year’s preseason opener against Dallas, Bennett was erratic and mistake-prone. On Saturday, he was neither.
He spread the ball to ten different receivers, avoided pressure well, and made only one real error — a deep ball that Cowboys cornerback Israel Mukuamu picked off with an exceptional individual play. Everything else was controlled and precise.
“I thought I played pretty well. I was just glad I didn’t try to force anything,” Bennett said afterward. “It went pretty well, but there’s things I’m going to clean up.”
With Matthew Stafford on the sideline managing a back injury and Jimmy Garoppolo sitting out per Sean McVay’s standard preseason rotation, Bennett had the full first-team spotlight. His 100.7 passer rating and two scoring drives in the fourth quarter were the clearest sign yet that his roster spot was secure heading into the 2025 regular season.
Los Angeles Rams — Full Offensive Stats
Passing
| Player | C/ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stetson Bennett IV | 16/24 | 188 | 7.8 | 2 | 1 | 100.7 |
| Team | 16/24 | 183 | 7.6 | 2 | 1 | — |
Rushing
| Player | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Schrader | 5 | 59 | 11.8 | 0 | 25 |
| Jarquez Hunter | 11 | 41 | 3.7 | 0 | 11 |
| Blake Corum | 9 | 32 | 3.6 | 2 | 9 |
| Jordan Waters | 4 | 21 | 5.3 | 0 | 6 |
| Stetson Bennett IV | 3 | 11 | 3.7 | 0 | 8 |
| Ronnie Rivers | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | 0 | 5 |
| Brennan Presley | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 0 | 15 |
| Dresser Winn | 2 | -3 | -1.5 | 0 | -1 |
| Drake Stoops | 1 | -4 | -4.0 | 0 | -4 |
| Team | 38 | 181 | 4.8 | 2 | 25 |
Receiving
| Player | REC | TGT | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xavier Smith | 3 | 3 | 55 | 18.3 | 0 | 39 |
| Britain Covey | 2 | 2 | 31 | 15.5 | 0 | 26 |
| Drake Stoops | 2 | 3 | 28 | 14.0 | 0 | 15 |
| Konata Mumpfield | 2 | 5 | 24 | 12.0 | 0 | 18 |
| Davis Allen | 2 | 2 | 17 | 8.5 | 0 | 13 |
| Brennan Presley | 2 | 2 | 11 | 5.5 | 1 | 6 |
| Cody Schrader | 1 | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 1 | 9 |
| Mark Redman | 1 | 2 | 9 | 9.0 | 0 | 9 |
| Blake Corum | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 | 4 |
| Mario Williams | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | — |
| Team | 16 | 23 | 188 | 11.8 | 2 | 39 |
Milton and the Dallas Offense
Joe Milton III entered Saturday as the leading candidate to back up Dak Prescott in 2025. His performance was a mixed bag — solid enough to keep that competition open, but not without problems.
The second-year quarterback finished 17-of-29 for 143 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also added 22 rushing yards on five carries before taking a shot to his elbow in the fourth quarter that ended his night early. Milton said afterward he could have returned if the situation required it.
New head coach Brian Schottenheimer acknowledged the bumpy start: “It’s definitely not a storybook beginning, that’s for sure. I think Joe was throwing some fastballs out there early. I’m proud of our guys the way they settled down.”
Malik Davis was Dallas’ most productive ball carrier with 63 yards on 7 carries. Phil Mafah added 36 yards on 10 attempts. The Cowboys finished with 148 rushing yards as a team — competitive numbers that were overshadowed by their inability to move the ball at all in the opening quarter.
Dallas Cowboys — Full Offensive Stats
Passing
| Player | C/ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Milton III | 17/29 | 143 | 4.9 | 1 | 1 | 68.6 |
| Will Grier | 2/3 | 14 | 4.7 | 0 | 0 | 77.1 |
| Team | 19/32 | 149 | 4.9 | 1 | 1 | 69.4 |
Rushing
| Player | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malik Davis | 7 | 63 | 9.0 | 0 | 16 |
| Phil Mafah | 10 | 36 | 3.6 | 0 | 8 |
| Joe Milton III | 5 | 22 | 4.4 | 0 | 8 |
| Will Grier | 2 | 12 | 6.0 | 1 | 8 |
| Deuce Vaughn | 2 | 11 | 5.5 | 0 | 8 |
| Jalen Cropper | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 | 4 |
| Team | 27 | 148 | 5.5 | 1 | 16 |
Receiving
| Player | REC | TGT | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traeshon Holden | 2 | 2 | 42 | 21.0 | 0 | 35 |
| Jalen Brooks | 2 | 3 | 26 | 13.0 | 0 | 16 |
| Ryan Flournoy | 1 | 5 | 20 | 20.0 | 0 | 20 |
| Josh Kelly | 1 | 3 | 19 | 19.0 | 0 | 19 |
| Rivaldo Fairweather | 3 | 3 | 18 | 6.0 | 1 | 7 |
| Phil Mafah | 2 | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 0 | 11 |
| Jalen Cropper | 2 | 3 | 6 | 3.0 | 0 | 4 |
| Tyler Neville | 2 | 2 | 6 | 3.0 | 0 | 3 |
| Malik Davis | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 0 | 3 |
| Deuce Vaughn | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 | 2 |
| Luke Schoonmaker | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jalen Tolbert | 1 | 2 | -1 | -1.0 | 0 | -1 |
| Jonathan Mingo | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | — |
| Team | 19 | 32 | 157 | 8.3 | 1 | 35 |
Full Scoring Summary
| Quarter | Time | Score | Play | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 9:44 | LAR 7–0 | Blake Corum 2-yd rush (Karty kick) | 11 plays, 79 yds, 5:16 |
| Q1 | 2:47 | LAR 14–0 | Blake Corum 4-yd rush (Karty kick) | 13 plays, 64 yds, 6:23 |
| Q2 | 8:04 | LAR 14–3 | Brandon Aubrey 35-yd FG | 11 plays, 55 yds, 6:14 |
| Q2 | 0:00 | LAR 14–6 | Brandon Aubrey 25-yd FG | 14 plays, 73 yds, 5:52 |
| Q3 | 4:13 | LAR 17–6 | Joshua Karty 37-yd FG | 10 plays, 45 yds, 5:41 |
| Q4 | 13:10 | LAR 24–6 | Cody Schrader 9-yd pass from Bennett (Karty kick) | 7 plays, 54 yds, 3:59 |
| Q4 | 8:48 | LAR 24–14 | Rivaldo Fairweather 7-yd pass from Milton (2-pt: Milton to Kelly) | 9 plays, 73 yds, 4:22 |
| Q4 | 5:57 | LAR 31–14 | Brennan Presley 5-yd pass from Bennett (Karty kick) | 5 plays, 59 yds, 2:51 |
| Q4 | 2:31 | LAR 31–21 | Will Grier 8-yd rush (Aubrey kick) | 10 plays, 65 yds, 3:26 |
Team Stats
| Category | DAL | LAR |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 297 | 364 |
| Total Plays | 60 | 63 |
| Yards Per Play | 5.0 | 5.8 |
| Passing Yards | 149 | 183 |
| Comp / Att | 19/32 | 16/24 |
| Yards Per Pass | 4.5 | 7.3 |
| Rushing Yards | 148 | 181 |
| Rushing Attempts | 27 | 38 |
| Yards Per Rush | 5.5 | 4.8 |
| First Downs | 19 | 22 |
| Passing 1st Downs | 7 | 10 |
| Rushing 1st Downs | 9 | 11 |
| Penalty 1st Downs | 3 | 1 |
| 3rd Down Conv. | 4/11 | 5/11 |
| 4th Down Conv. | 1/2 | 2/2 |
| Red Zone (Made/Att) | 2/4 | 4/5 |
| Penalties | 11 for 83 yds | 8 for 104 yds |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Fumbles Lost | 0 | 0 |
| Interceptions Thrown | 1 | 1 |
| Sacks Allowed | 1 (8 yds) | 1 (5 yds) |
| Total Drives | 9 | 9 |
| Time of Possession | 26:40 | 33:20 |
Defense and Special Teams
Josaiah Stewart was the Rams’ most disruptive defender, recording a sack and a tackle for loss against Milton in the fourth quarter. Safety Nate Valcarcel led all players on the field with 10 total tackles, and Tony Fields II added nine. A.J. Green III broke up two passes in the secondary. Cam Lampkin’s interception came when Milton forced a throw into double coverage near the end zone.
On the Dallas side, Zion Childress and Mike Smith Jr. each finished with six tackles. Israel Mukuamu’s interception was the defensive play of the night — a sideline read on a deep ball that Bennett underthrew — and the fourth-year cornerback was direct about what it meant to him: “Just blessed. Been waiting for this moment. God put it out there for me.”
Defensive Stats — Key Performers
| Player | Team | TOT | SOLO | SACKS | TFL | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nate Valcarcel | LAR | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Tony Fields II | LAR | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shaun Dolac | LAR | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josaiah Stewart | LAR | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Green III | LAR | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Cam Lampkin | LAR | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Zion Childress | DAL | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Smith Jr. | DAL | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alijah Clark | DAL | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Darius Harris | DAL | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Shemar James | DAL | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Denzel Daxon | DAL | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Israel Mukuamu | DAL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Team | FG | FG Pct | Long | XP | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Karty | LAR | 1/1 | 100% | 37 yds | 4/4 | 7 |
| Brandon Aubrey | DAL | 2/2 | 100% | 35 yds | 1/1 | 7 |
Punting
| Player | Team | Punts | YDS | AVG | LG | TB | In 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethan Evans | LAR | 2 | 145 | 72.5 | 81 | 1 | 0 |
| Bryan Anger | DAL | 3 | 146 | 48.7 | 54 | 0 | 1 |
Kick Returns
| Player | Team | NO | YDS | AVG | LG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brennan Presley | LAR | 1 | 38 | 38.0 | 38 | 0 |
| Cody Schrader | LAR | 1 | 22 | 22.0 | 22 | 0 |
| Jarquez Hunter | LAR | 1 | 21 | 21.0 | 21 | 0 |
| Jalen Cropper | DAL | 2 | 62 | 31.0 | 35 | 0 |
| Josh Kelly | DAL | 2 | 37 | 18.5 | 20 | 0 |
Storylines Worth Noting
Matthew Stafford’s pregame workout: Stafford sat out with a back injury that had kept him out of training camp, but he completed roughly 70 throws in an extended pregame session. McVay was encouraging afterward: “It was awesome. It looked good. He threw the ball really well.”
Micah Parsons on the sideline: Despite filing a trade request days earlier amid contract talks with Jerry Jones, Parsons attended the game with his teammates. No resolution had been announced on his contract situation.
CeeDee Lamb’s sideline cameo: Lamb was in street clothes and not suited up, but still drew a second-quarter penalty when an official ran into him near the out-of-bounds paint. He got up laughing.
Robert Rochell’s injury: The Cowboys cornerback went down with a hamstring injury on the opening drive and did not return.
Brian Schottenheimer’s debut: The 51-year-old, who spent the previous two seasons as Dallas’ offensive coordinator before replacing Mike McCarthy in January 2025, acknowledged Saturday’s result without making excuses: “It’s not the result that we wanted, but first time out there as a head coach, it felt pretty good.”
What This Game Showed
The Cowboys-Rams preseason box score from August 2025 told two very different stories by the final whistle. In Los Angeles, Bennett’s night was the proof of concept the Rams needed — a sharp, turnover-light performance from their third-string quarterback that gave the coaching staff exactly what they were looking for. In Dallas, Milton’s debut left enough questions open to keep that backup race interesting well into the regular season.
The first-quarter yardage gap of 160-1 was not a fluke. The Rams were better organized, better prepared, and more physical from the opening possession. By the time Dallas settled in, Los Angeles had already built a lead that required three unanswered fourth-quarter touchdowns to claw back from — and the Cowboys came up short.
