news-engine

If your faith was shaken after the Los Angeles Rams selected Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick, you weren't alone. Simpson arrived with a target on his back. The Rams didn't need to draft a quarterback, the general consensus said; they had the reigning MVP in Matthew Stafford. As a result, some fans were reluctant to roll out the red carpet for the rookie's arrival. How do you like him now? Ahead of Saturday's game against the Chiefs, skeptics were already waiting for the former Alabama passer to slip up. One Twitter post began, "reasons why Ty Simpson was such a terrible Rams selection." The user's lone message was about a seven-yard completion during a roll-out. Frankly, that seems a rather weak basis for critique. Rams fans deserved this. Ty Simpson deserved this. Even QB coach Dave Ragone deserved this. Don't doubt the combined mental might of general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay. Simpson passed his test with flying colors by acing the basics. Rams can breath sigh of relief over Ty Simpson's preseason performance Of course, one preseason performance does not confirm anything, right or wrong. But let's be quite honest. If Simpson had struggled out of the gates, there would be no end to harshly worded criticism. In the pursuit of objective balance, let's run down a small sample of reasons to find renewed confidence in the young quarterback. 1. He was poised in his first preseason game Simpson took over for Stetson Bennett after the first quarter and never looked back. He agilely avoided the Chiefs pass rush, stood tall in the pocket, and never stopped searching downfield for an open receiver. He showed a strong command of LA's vanilla offense, and added his own flavor to it to make it fun to watch. 2. He beat expectations Nobody expected Simpson to emerge as the star of the game, but his stat line places him directly in the spotlight. He completed 21 of 25 passes (an 84 percent completion rate) for 190 yards and two touchdowns. He debuted to a 125.0 passer rating. He never looked lost, confused, or like a deer in the headlights. This was a big moment for the team and for Simpson. But he proved to be even bigger. He showed his teammates and coaches that he is absolutely on track to bear the yoke of a future franchise quarterback. 3. He elevated multiple receivers He connected with wide receiver Brennan Pressley. He connected with tight end Mark Redman. He was perfect, completing seven passes with rookie tight end Max Klare. He connected with undrafted rookie running back Dean Conners four times. He completed two throws to stellar rookie receiver CJ Daniels. Although it was only one performance, Simpson showed off his potential. Many of his receivers won't make the roster. But they looked NFL-worthy catching his passes in that first preseason game. That's the beauty of having the right quarterback in the pocket. Simpson didn't just manage the offense; he unlocked it. Of course, he wasn't facing a starting-caliber defense, but he wasn't surrounded by starters himself. He connected with young offensive playmakers in a way that made everyone shine. That's all you can ask of any preseason quarterback. Ease into your chair and breathe easy, Rams fans. It looks like Snead and McVay knew what they were doing, after all. As always, thanks for reading.