And now it’s becoming a little more apparent why the Rams used the 13th overall pick in the draft on quarterback Ty Simpson. Yes, it was just the preseason. For rookie quarterbacks, it’s all about looking good. Simpson looked perfect Saturday in Kansas City. Simpson completed 21 of 25 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns in three quarters of action. “He took what the defense gave him,” coach Sean McVay said after the game. “You know, I thought he read the plays, he read with his feet. You know, I thought he did a really good job overall. And I thought, even some of the goalies, where maybe the main one isn’t there, he attacks with the ball up… “I thought he kept the ball in play. You know, that’s the most important thing: keeping the ball in play. There was a situation there, we will have a great learning experience. [opportunity] On a third try, where, you know, they did some kind of man coverage, we ended up throwing to the floor to [tight end] Max Clara. I have to see: I think the pocketbook could allow him to progress, but otherwise it was a really good day for him. He just felt like he was in control and it was great to see a good smile on his face.” McVay might also be smiling if he thinks the rookie can be relied upon to serve as the backup to reigning MVP Matthew Stafford. The only other option is Stetson Bennett, who hasn’t had regular-season snaps in three seasons. Ideally, the preseason will be Simpson’s only chance to get live reps. That probably explains the decision to give him a full three-quarters of playing time. But it’s not just about development for the future. post-Stafford. They need to have someone ready, in case Stafford’s back aggravates or suffers some other injury during a 17-game season.
