Los Angeles Rams Outlast Carolina Panthers in Thrilling Wild Card Opener
In a back-and-forth affair that saw both teams score 31 points, the Los Angeles Rams managed to edge out their NFC wild card counterparts, the Carolina Panthers, by a single point, advancing to the divisional playoffs with a nail-biting 34-31 victory.
Matthew Stafford's 19-yard touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson with just 38 seconds remaining sealed the deal for the Rams. The veteran quarterback finished 24 of 42 for 304 yards and three touchdowns, while Puka Nacua chipped in with 10 receptions for 111 yards and two total touchdowns.
Despite being 10 1/2-point underdogs, Carolina kept pace throughout the game, taking an early lead before the Rams surged ahead. Jalen Coker's seven-yard touchdown reception from Bryce Young gave Carolina a 31-27 advantage with just over two minutes left on the clock.
However, Stafford orchestrated a stirring comeback, leading the Rams down the field in seven plays to set up Parkinson for the game-winning score. The Panthers' last-ditch effort was thwarted when Jimmy Horn dropped a fourth-down pass from Young.
The victory marked the Rams' 13th win of the season and sets them up for another showdown in the divisional playoffs. For Carolina, the defeat marked their fifth consecutive loss to end the regular season, with the Panthers ultimately finishing 8-10 overall.
In a back-and-forth affair that saw both teams score 31 points, the Los Angeles Rams managed to edge out their NFC wild card counterparts, the Carolina Panthers, by a single point, advancing to the divisional playoffs with a nail-biting 34-31 victory.
Matthew Stafford's 19-yard touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson with just 38 seconds remaining sealed the deal for the Rams. The veteran quarterback finished 24 of 42 for 304 yards and three touchdowns, while Puka Nacua chipped in with 10 receptions for 111 yards and two total touchdowns.
Despite being 10 1/2-point underdogs, Carolina kept pace throughout the game, taking an early lead before the Rams surged ahead. Jalen Coker's seven-yard touchdown reception from Bryce Young gave Carolina a 31-27 advantage with just over two minutes left on the clock.
However, Stafford orchestrated a stirring comeback, leading the Rams down the field in seven plays to set up Parkinson for the game-winning score. The Panthers' last-ditch effort was thwarted when Jimmy Horn dropped a fourth-down pass from Young.
The victory marked the Rams' 13th win of the season and sets them up for another showdown in the divisional playoffs. For Carolina, the defeat marked their fifth consecutive loss to end the regular season, with the Panthers ultimately finishing 8-10 overall.
! I mean, I love watching the Rams play, but they're just so... consistent? 
seriously though, Matthew Stafford is like the ultimate underdog story guy. from being that team that nobody thought much of to now being in the playoffs? 
and Colby Parkinson's got some serious skills too! i'm gonna have to check out his highlights. 
I'm hyped for the Rams' next matchup... whoever it is, bring it on! 
. Stafford's gotta be one of the greatest QBs in the league right now, he just won't quit 
. The Panthers put up a good fight though, can't take away from them. They're still a solid team even if they didn't get the win 
They managed to pull off such an epic comeback against the Panthers and I gotta say, Matthew Stafford is a total legend 
His performance was insane! The way he orchestrated that last-minute drive was pure magic 
And Colby Parkinson catching that 19-yard TD pass? What. A. Catch. 
he came back like that and it's insane. colby parkinson is my boy 
carolina's season was crazy, 5 losses in a row, but i guess you can't win 'em all 
, his composure under pressure is insane. colby parkinson's touchdown with seconds left was the icing on the cake 
. but honestly, i'm not surprised carolina lost... they had their chances and just couldn't capitalize. still, what a game to watch! can't wait for the divisional playoffs! 
. and Bryce Young is straight fire as a quarterback, i'm loving his skills 
anyway, Rams Nation is SO HYPED 
. And what's up with the Panthers not being able to hold onto that last-second lead? Jalen Coker just dropped a pass like 10 seconds before the game was over... 
I mean, I know it happens, but it's so frustrating to watch. And now we have to wait for another week to find out if the Rams can actually make it through the playoffs without bursting our bubbles 
and colby parkinson is a beast too scoring the winning touchdown with just seconds left on the clock that's what i call clutch 
anyway the rams are moving on to the next round which is gonna be tough but they've got this division is still pretty competitive but i think they can take it all the way 
and we'll be playing from our living rooms? I mean, I love a good game as much as the next guy, but can't they just stick to the traditional way of watching it on TV? This whole tech thing is getting outta control... 