Rams vs. Chargers preseason takeaways: Backup QBs continue to make mistakes

Here are four takeaways from the Rams’ 13-9 victory over the Chargers in Week 2 of the NFL preseason Saturday at SoFi Stadium.

Rams wide receiver JJ Laap, right, celebrates with a teammate after catching a 47-yard touchdown pass from Stetson Bennett during the fourth quarter Saturday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Stetson Bennett said he wanted to build on the positives and eliminate the miscues that plagued him during last Sunday’s 13-12 Rams’ victory over the Dallas Cowboys, including four interceptions.

On Saturday, he completed 17 of 31 passes for 213 yards, including a 47-yard touchdown, with an interception and a fumble.

Bennett benefited from playing the entire game against the Cowboys — and tossing a game-tying touchdown with four seconds left — and from taking second-team reps during a joint practice with the Cowboys on Wednesday.

Facing a Chargers defense without star edge rushers Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack and safety Derwin James, but one that included several starters early in the game, Bennett avoided most decision-making errors, but he could not avoid a costly interception.

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After the Rams recovered a fumble in the third quarter, Bennett drove the offense to the one-yard line. But defensive back Deane Leonard intercepted a pass in the end zone.

Bennett, however, bounced back in the fourth quarter, finding JJ Laap behind coverage to give the Rams a 13-9 lead.

The Chargers’ Easton Stick played the first half and looked better than he did in the preseason opener against the Seattle Seahawks, when he completed only five of 13 passes for 31 yards, with an interception on a pass that tipped off a receiver’s hands.

On Saturday, Stick remained inefficient — he completed eight of 13 passes for 85 yards — but he did not make a major passing error. He connected on a couple of key plays and also rushed for 22 yards in five carries, including a 12-yard gain on a designed run.

Stick, however, fumbled a snap at the Rams’ one-yard line, stifling the Chargers’ best chance at a touchdown.

Luis Perez played the second half. He completed 13 of 20 passes for 78 yards and engineered a field-goal drive, but he lost a fumble.

Whittington followed his dynamic performance against the Cowboys with another impressive game.

The sixth-round draft pick from Texas caught five passes for 52 yards. He has 11 receptions in two games. Xavier Smith had five catches for 45 yards, and also returned two punts for 50 yards. Laap, an undrafted free agent from Cortland, had two catches for 50 yards.

Fehoko caught two passes for 52 yards. Quentin Johnston had one catch for 19 yards and Ladd McConkey had one reception for five yards.

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh leads his players onto the field at SoFi Stadium before a preseason game against the Rams on Saturday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The Rams defense, facing an offense that featured several starting receivers, did not allow a touchdown for the second consecutive game.

Safety Jason Taylor II had another strong performance, making two tackles and recovering Stick’s fumble at the Rams’ one-yard line to end a first-half drive. Cornerback Jaylen McCollough intercepted a pass that tipped off the hands of a receiver in the second quarter. Lineman Carlos Watkins, signed by the Rams last week, sacked Perez and forced a fumble that was recovered by edge rusher Ochaun Mathis.

Leonard’s interception for the Chargers prevented the Rams from seizing momentum. Cornerbacks Matt Hankins and Tarheeb Still each made five tackles and linebacker Daiyan Henley had four.

Dicker followed last week’s 58-yard field goal against the Seahawks with field goals from 55, 37 and 27 yards against the Rams.

The Rams last week cut kicker Tanner Brown, meaning coach Sean McVay has complete confidence in Karty, a sixth-round pick from Stanford.

Karty, who kicked two field goals and the winning extra point against the Cowboys, kicked a 48-yard field goal that put the Rams ahead 3-0 on Saturday. His 43-yard field goal in the third quarter tied the score, 6-6.

But he missed wide right on a 52-yard attempt in the fourth quarter.