Weekend Reflections: Ex-Georgia star Stetson Bennett begins NFL comeback

I still remember a couple of my friends giving me grief for writing that Stetson Bennett was a good college quarterback early in the 2021 season. Those same friends didn’t argue when I called Bennett the greatest quarterback in Georgia history a little more than a year later.

Bennett’s NFL underdog story hasn’t worked out so far. No one expects a fourth-round draft pick to become a star. The Rams probably hope Bennett at least can be a respectable backup for another ex-UGA star, Matthew Stafford. Bennett’s development stalled when the Rams placed him on nonfootball injury/illness list in 2023, and he performed poorly in 2024 exhibition games.

Bennett finally provided some on-field evidence he might stick with the Rams. He was 16-of-24 passing for 188 yards, two touchdowns and one interception against Dallas on Saturday while leading five scoring drives (four touchdowns). The two scoring throws were nifty plays, and Bennett delivered a 39-yard sideline strike to Xavier Smith on fourth down against tight coverage.

“I’m so proud of him because I saw the growth from when we came in as rookies to where he’s at now,” Smith told reporters after the game. “And you can see the love on his face, the way he’s loving the game, the way he’s playing with that passion, the way he’s playing with that swagger.”

There’s still a chance for Bennett to become Stafford’s successor. The Rams are paying Stafford $44 million this year, but they can save $40 million by releasing him next summer. Stafford (back) could practice this week for the first time during training camp.

Rams coach Sean McVay praised Bennett for his “great command” in Saturday’s game and his consistent approach throughout the offseason.

“Stetson was awesome, and I think … if there is one positive from Matthew not being there, it’s that both (backup Jimmy Garoppolo) and Stetson have been able to get some reps,” McVay said.

Jen Pawol makes MLB history

The belief that baseball umpires are bad at their jobs is as old as the game itself. Everyone agrees that umps get too many calls wrong, especially calls that go against their team. Now we’ve got the data and high-definition replays to prove it.

Keep all that in mind if you hear someone grumbling about “meritocracy” or “DEI,” because MLB finally has a female umpire. It’s not as if the guy umps have done a great job for 150-plus years. Maybe Jen Pawol can improve the corps.

Pawol made history Saturday at Truist Park. She told reporters it was a dream come true after 10 years working at lower levels. Congratulations to Pawol. Good luck to her with one of the hardest jobs in sports.

Pawol will face heavy public scrutiny about her performance. Harsh critiques come with the gig. Jeers are expected and, sometimes, deserved.

As a trailblazer, Pawol will be singled out for scorn by insecure people who want to see her fail. What I saw this weekend: Those voices will be drowned out by people rooting for the rookie to get a fair shot to prove herself.

Pawol will get some calls wrong. Technology makes it easier than ever to see when umps mess up. Pawol will have to manage games in a high-stakes, high-stress environment. She’ll have to build professional rapport with players and coaches.

It won’t take long for the novelty of Pawol umping games to fade away. Hopefully, she’ll eventually become a relatively anonymous ump doing a hard job well. Baseball needs more of those.

Atlanta Dream keep winning

Everything started going wrong for the Dream at winning time Sunday in Phoenix.

Jordin Canada was carried off the court with an injury. Moments later, All-Star Rhyne Howard was ejected after earning her second technical foul. The Dream kept missing the 3-pointers that would alleviate the pressure.

None of that mattered. The Dream won with another scrappy and determined effort. It was their fifth consecutive victory and seventh in eight games. The Dream (20-11) are tied with New York for second in the WNBA standings behind Minnesota (27-5).

The Dream just keeps winning no matter what happens.

Howard was out for a month. The team went 7-3 without her. They won three games in a row without Brittney Griner (neck). She returned Sunday and looked rusty. The Dream didn’t need much from her because forwards Brionna Jones and Naz Hillmon bullied the Mercury.

The Dream can win ugly like that. They can win by making a lot of 3-pointers. They can win with their best players on the injured list. The Dream are legit.

Atlanta United’s Miranchuk earning his money

Emmanuel Latte Lath and Miguel Almirón have caught much of the heat for Atlanta United’s lackluster attack. The Five Stripes’ third Designated Player, Alexey Miranchuk, was producing even less. That’s changed lately: Miranchuk has scored in four of the past five matches.

Miranchuk’s late goal at Montreal on Saturday secured a 1-1 draw for the team. Miranchuk did the same thing in the ninth minute of stoppage time against Seattle. He’s got five goals this season, second most on the team behind Latte Lath (seven).