Rams Escape Round 1

The Los Angeles Rams are moving on to the NFC divisional round after defeating the Carolina Panthers 34-31 on Saturday.

After trading blows in the second half, the Panthers held a 31-27 lead with less than three minutes to play, hoping to win their first playoff game in 10 years. However, Stafford, an MVP candidate and first-team All-Pro selection, still had plenty of time remaining.

He led a seven-play, 71-yard drive, capping it with a beautiful 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Colby Parkinson to give the Rams a three-point advantage with just 38 seconds to go. The Panthers went four-and-out on the ensuing possession, as their season came to a close.

Stafford finished 24-of-42 for 304 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

The Rams fed off their defense early. After forcing a turnover on downs on the Panthers’ first possession, Stafford immediately targeted his fellow first-team All-Pro member, wide receiver Puka Nacua. Nacua had three receptions for 40 yards on the Rams’ first offensive drive, capping it with a 14-yard touchdown reception to give Los Angeles a 7-0 lead.

With Carolina moving the ball on its third possession, Cobie Durant picked off Bryce Young on a first-and-10 from the Rams’ 44. Seven plays later, Nacua was scoring his second touchdown of the first half — this time on a 5-yard backward pass by Stafford, which credited the score as a rushing touchdown to give the Rams a 14-0 lead.

Nacua finished with 10 catches for 111 yards to go with his two TDs.

The Rams had the Panthers, who were playing in their first playoff game since the 2017 season, on their heels.

But the Panthers responded with two touchdowns in the second quarter. Running back Chuba Hubbard capped a seven-play, 75-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown plunge to make it a 14-7 game. Then, two possessions later, Young outran Rams linebacker Nate Landman on a scramble up the middle for a 16-yard score, making it 17-14 Rams at the half.

The teams traded field goals in the third quarter before Stafford was picked off by the Panthers’ Mike Jackson. Two plays later, Young connected with Jalen Coker for a 52-yard catch-and-run to put Carolina deep in Rams territory. Then Hubbard capped the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run, his second of the game, to give the Panthers their first lead, 24-20. On the ensuing drive, Stafford marched the Rams 67 yards in 11 plays and found running back Kyren Williams on a 13-yard touchdown pass as the Rams retook the lead, 27-24.

Los Angeles, which had its share of special teams issues throughout the season, had a punt blocked by Isaiah Simmons with under five minutes to play, giving Carolina the ball deep in Rams territory with a chance to take a late lead. The Panthers took advantage, scoring a touchdown four plays later on a 7-yard pass by Young to Coker.

Coker, a 2024 undrafted rookie, picked a good time to have the best game of his young career, finishing with nine receptions for 134 yards and that touchdown.

Stafford, 37, adds another game-winning drive to his resume, as he helped extend the Rams’ season. They’ll await the results of this weekend’s games before knowing who they’ll face next.