The Carolina Panthers crowd fell silent after Colby Parkinson scored a touchdown with 38 seconds left on Saturday as the Los Angeles Rams escaped with a 34-31 victory and advanced to the divisional round of the NFL playoffs on Saturday.
The Panthers fought back valiantly in the face of an eerie early Rams dominance, going from a 14-0 deficit to leading 31-27 with 2.39 points remaining thanks to Jalen Coker’s go-ahead touchdown.
But coach Sean McVay’s team put aside its second-half struggles with Matthew Stafford’s 19-yard shot to tight end Parkinson. Parkinson took a high-point pass from the quarterback along the sideline, then pivoted to keep both feet inbounds and reach the end zone.
The lights went out for the crowd who dared to believe their team, which entered the postseason as NFC South champions with an 8-9 record, was on the brink of its first playoff victory in 10 years.
Puka Nacua found the end zone twice for the Rams, catching 111 of Stafford’s 304 yards, and Coker had a career-best nine catches for 134 of 264 yards for Bryce Young and two rushing touchdowns for Tuba Hubbard.
Leader in statistics:
Rams:
Passing: Matthew Stafford, 24/42, 304 yards, 3 TDs, 1 rushing: Kyren Williams, 13 carries, 57 yards receiving: Puka Nacua, 10 catches, 111 yards, 1 TD
Panthers:
Passing: Bryce Young, 21/40, 264 yards, 1 TD, 1 rushing: Tuba Hubbard, 13 carries, 46 yards, 2 TD Receiving: Jalen Coker, 9 catches, 134 yards, 1 TD
Hubbard scored a 3-yard touchdown run in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter, giving the Panthers their first lead of the game.
On the next possession, All-Pro Stafford turned around and survived an 11-play drive that culminated with a 13-yard touchdown catch by Kyren Williams to make it 27-24.
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Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua score the Los Angeles Rams’ first touchdown during wild-card weekend against the Carolina Panthers.
The Rams defense then forced a three-and-out, but another twist ensued when Isaiah Simmons blocked Ethan Evans’ punt, setting up the Panthers at their 30-yard line.
That cleared the way for Young to loft a perfectly weighted 7-yard touchdown pass into Coker’s arms four plays later, giving the Panthers a 31-27 lead with 2.39 left and a buzz from the expectant crowd.
Stafford’s response would be just as much of a dampener, as his 71-yard march ended in a perfectly placed score to Parkinson, who cracked the goal line past Trevon Mehlig.
Carolina had one last chance to salvage the game, but Jimmy Horn dropped a 4-10 pass from Young as the Rams held on for the win.
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Bryce Young’s scoring kept the Carolina Panthers in a close playoff matchup with the Los Angeles Rams.
After two Panthers turnovers, McVay’s team raced to a two-touchdown lead with 12.16 points left in the first half, and the one-way situation threatened to end the game early.
The Rams opened with a fourth-down stop on the Panthers’ opening drive, then Stafford connected with Nacua for a 14-yard touchdown. Nacua then doubled up on a 5-yard run off a Koby Durant interception to make it 14-0.
Hubbard’s 1-yard rushing touchdown and Young’s 16-yard scramble home cut Carolina to 17-14 at the break.
Nacua could have come in again before halftime, but he dropped a pass along the right sideline.
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