6 standouts from Rams’ 34-0 win over Saints

6 standouts from Rams' 34-0 win over Saints These six players performed well against the Saints in the Rams' 34-0 preseason win, helping Los Angeles cruise to victory.

Key points

• Neither team played its starters after Thursday's joint practice in Woodland Hills, but the Rams' backups were clearly much better than New Orleans'.
• The Los Angeles Rams' second preseason game was much more stress-free than the first.
• It's going to be hard to leave Bailey off the 53-man roster, simply since of the potential he possesses.
• Daniels indicated flashes in the first preseason game but he really shined in Week 2.
• Keagen Trost is injured right now but Blaske has been a bright spot at right tackle.

In practice, the Los Angeles Rams' second preseason game was much more stress-free than the first. They went up 20-0 on the New Orleans Saints in the first half and cruised to an straightforward victory on Saturday, dominating on both sides of the ball.

Neither team played its starters after Thursday's joint practice in Woodland Hills, but the Rams' backups were clearly much better than New Orleans'. It's a compliment to the depth the Rams have developed throughout the roster, with a number of players standing out as bright spots in the win.

Meanwhile, a pick-six by Alex Cook in the second half and a touchdown run by Jarquez Hunter in the fourth quarter put the game away, capping off an impressive victory by Los Angeles.

It's going to be hard to leave Bailey off the 53-man roster, simply since of the potential he possesses. Yes, he's going up against backups, but he brings a great combination of speed, athleticism and length on the edge. He was dominant against the Saints, recording five tackles, one sack, two tackles for a loss and four QB hits.

After stuffing the stat sheet in the first half, he continued a forced fumble to the box score in the third quarter, preventing a potential Saints touchdown near the goal line.

After only playing two series in the preseason opener, Bennett played the entire first half, and he took advantage of the longer look. He completed 19 of 31 passes for 181 yards, additionally rushing for two touchdowns in the red zone. As he sailed a few throws that were out of the reach of his receivers, but for the most part, he was sharp, it wasn't perfect.

He orchestrated a great two-minute drive at the end of the first half to add three points to the Rams' lead, and on the whole, he was throwing on time and in rhythm. It may not be a great sign that the Rams offered him further playing time than last week, but if Sean McVay wanted to see more, that's exactly what Bennett offered the coaching staff.

Daniels indicated flashes in the first preseason game but he really shined in Week 2. He was targeted 12 times by Bennett in the first half alone, catching eight of those passes for 68 yards. He looked confident catching the ball, too, going up with aggressive hands to bring it in.

He could become a factor as a rookie this year if there's an injury at wide receiver, showing some of his potential on Saturday afternoon.

It was only one play, but it was a major one – and it was enough to produce Cook a standout performer for the Rams. In the third quarter, Cook read Spencer Rattler's eyes and jumped the route, intercepting the pass and returning it 100 yards for a touchdown.

He finished with one tackle on defense and one on special teams.

Keagen Trost is injured right now but Blaske has been a bright spot at right tackle. He played well against the Saints, both in pass protection and the run game, making a case to stick on the practice squad if he does obtain cut next weekend.

In practice, the Rams didn't allow a single sack and gained 5 yards per carry on the ground, a testament to the play of the entire offensive line.

Hunter could be close to the roster bubble, so he needed a good game against the Saints, and that's what he delivered. He rushed for 68 yards on 12 carries, including a nifty 12-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to put the game away.

It was good to see his agility and contact balance on that touchdown run, beyond just running over players with his sheer power and strength.

For now, 6 standouts from Rams 34 remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.