Almost everyone thought the Panthers were going to the slaughterhouse against the Rams. The weakest team among all those qualified in the NFL playoffs finally put up a tough fight, but David ultimately did not overthrow Goliath.
The Rams, who had won 12 wins this season, won 34-31 and had to dig deep to defeat the tough Panthers, who had a losing record with eight wins and nine losses.
This is why matches are played, as they say!
With 2:39 left, the Panthers took a 31-27 lead when quarterback Brycce Young connected with Jalen Coker in the end zone.
The Rams took the ball back and methodically advanced with a 71-yard drive that ended in style, when Matthew Stafford spotted tight end Colby Parkinson for the game-winning touchdown.
With 38 seconds left, the Panthers were unable to complete a pass and their hopes were dashed.
Costly mistakes
Hats off to the Panthers, who gave the Rams, widely favored by 10.5 points, a real scare to win this match.
Young, who was starting his first career playoff game, did rather well with 264 yards and a touchdown pass, but an interception by Cobie Durant hurt because seven plays later, the Rams scored their second touchdown of the game.
In the first half, moreover, the Panthers shot themselves in the foot with this turnover, in addition to having failed on a fourth down and a yard to cross in their zone. Trevor Etienne also fumbled a punt. Against a quality club like the Rams, such blunders cannot be forgiven.
Rams questionable
Speaking of blunders, the Rams did not leave their place in this regard. If they escape unscathed, it is not for lack of almost self-mutilating.
Excellent receiver Puka Nacua, who scored two touchdowns, dropped a bomb in the enemy zone at the very end of the first half, which deprived the Rams of important points.
Stafford, who completed only 24 of his 42 passes, saw one of them intercepted by Mike Jackson and the Panthers then scored a touchdown. After hitting his hand on the arm of an opposing player while throwing a pass, Stafford was not a shadow of himself for much of the game, although he rallied brilliantly on the Rams’ final sequence. A situation to monitor for the future…
In the fourth quarter, true to form, the Rams looked bad again on special teams when their punt was blocked. A minute and a half later, the Panthers took advantage of their advantageous position on the field after this big play to score their last touchdown.
The Rams offense was also terrible in third down situations, converting only three of their 13 attempts.
The least punished club in the league over the last five years also received nine penalties for 83 yards.
Those who see the glass half-full will say the Rams won anyway, which demonstrates how even in their worst moments, they have the team to pull through.
Those who see the glass half empty will say that if the Rams come out with another game this unconvincing against a truly dominant team, they are literally done for.
We will have the answer next week and the important thing is that the result was positive, regardless of how it got there.
As for the Panthers, it’s a wealth of experience that they bank. This club doesn’t yet have the talent of the big guns in the National Conference and took advantage of a weak division to sneak into the January tournament, but they are well led by Dave Canales and they have a lot of heart in their stomach.
THE 3 STARS OF THE MATCH
Puka Nacua
We will forgive him for the fumbled pass at the end of the first half, because he shone brightly with 10 passes caught for 111 yards and a touchdown, in addition to a touchdown on the ground. He also made a key play preventing an interception in the end zone.
Bryce Young
Getty Images via AFP
The young Panthers quarterback lost, but he deserves a lot of credit for showing remarkable composure in his first playoff start. He was hit eight times, including two quarterback sacks
Quentin Lake
Getty Images via AFP
The Rams safety had been on the sidelines since November 16 and his return greatly helped the Rams defense! He made six tackles and knocked down two passes. On his teammate Cobie Durant’s interception, it was he who first got his hands on the ball.
