Rams Win An Instant Classic in Carolina

The Rams went four plays for 45 yards, punching the ball into the end zone on their first offensive drive of the day. Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua, who were both named All-Pros earlier in the day, connected multiple times as Stafford was able to pluck Carolina apart from a clean pocket, hitting Nacua for the score.

When the Rams came out next, they went away from their opening strategy and the Panthers took advantage. Relief did come when Braden Fiske recorded the first sack of the postseason, leading to a punt soon after. The problem was that unlike their opening drive, the Rams' offense would start deep inside Panthers territory.

The Rams started to move but this is where Sean McVay made his first incorrect step of the game. On third and one, with a Panthers defense on the back foot, McVay ran the ball, as expected. The problem is that he went with 11 personnel instead of 13, failing to pick up yards due to the lack of tonnage up front. The Rams were forced to punt.

The defense, looking to keep their aggression up, sacked Bryce Young for the second time, with Poona Ford placing him on the ground. However, Young stayed tough and was able to pick up the first down. Now the challenge had been laid. Could the Rams' secondary give their pass rushers the extra second needed to get home?

Not initially and problems would compound with Ahkello Witherspoon leaving the game with injury. Panthers' Tetairoa McMillian would then take Carolina into Rams' territory. However, a deflected pass would end up in Cobie Durant's hands, ending Carolina's push and with a penalty on the Panthers during Durant's return, the Rams would end the quarter with the ball in enemy territory and a seven point lead.

Second Quarter

The Rams used Kyren Williams to push into the red zone but at third and one, McVay once again had a decision to make.

He went will 11 personnel again, flanking Stafford's left side with three wide receivers. Stafford would find Nacua for the first down. Stafford would then hit Nacua again in a play determined to be a rush, with Nacua cutting inside for his second score of the game.

The Rams defense came out hungry as Poona Ford almost secured his second sack of the game. Bryce Young made sure to make the Rams' remember why securing the edge is essential as he slipped away to complete a downfield pass.

The Panthers made their way inside the Rams' five with Tetairoa McMillian torching the secondary. The Rams were able to force third down but a defensive pass interference penalty on Durant would lead to a Chuba Hubbard touchdown.

The Panthers got the crowd into it and back-to-back pre-snap penalties had the Rams offense going backwards. However, Stafford was vintage once again, threading the needle to find Tyler Higbee up the seam to flip the field.

The Rams weren't able to do much after that, settling for the field goal but something interesting to note is that the protection team was penetrated as soon as the ball was snapped and it was Mevis' quick kick style that prevented the block.

The Rams would get lucky. On third down, a flair pass to a wide open Chuba Hubbard should've picked up at least ten yards but he dropped it, forcing the punt. The Rams didn't do much but on third down, Davante Adams shook his defender at the line, with Stafford launching deep. As Adams looked to make his final strides, it became clear he was still coming back from injury as he didn't have enough to complete the play.

That ended up not mattering as the Panthers would muff a punt, then recovered by Troy Reeder. The Rams would run to the Panthers' 26 yard line before the two minute warning hit.

Two Minute Warning

The Rams would overcome a holding penalty to set themselves up at fourth and three in the red zone. The Rams went for it and were denied. Instead of going for three, which would've pushed the lead to 13, the Rams walked away with nothing.

The Panthers would pick up free yards via a defensive pass interference call in Quentin Lake, having the ball near midfield with 59 seconds left. The Panthers had no timeouts, influencing play calling. Lake would get beat again, with the Panthers advancing the ball to the Rams' 16. The Panthers' tall pass catchers were continuing to be a problem.

The Rams were so spread defensively, that Bryce Young ran the ball in for the score. From potentially being up by 13, the Rams were holding on to a three point lead.

However, the Rams caught a break as the ensuing kickoff did not reach the landing zone. That meant the Rams would begin their drive at their 40 and McVay looked to push up field. The Rams have done this before to try and steal points, thus a Davante Adams catch would continue the aggressive play calling now that they were on the opposite side of the field.

The Rams almost had six as Stafford found a wide open Nacua but Nacua dropped the pass, despite it being placed perfectly. Another missed opportunity capped off a back-and-forth half. The Rams still took a 17-14 lead into the locker room.

Second Half

Third Quarter

The Rams opened up the half with an instant three-and-out. Bryce Young continued to look comfortable, using his feet to advance the ball. The Rams would attempt to counter by blitzing Kam Curl, getting some success but Young was too comfortable on fourth down.

With these gains, the Rams began to attack. Would the Rams overpursue, do the Panthers have the right counterpunch? Well it wouldn't matter because another pre-snap penalty on Los Angeles would move the chains anyway.

The Rams had to fight to force another third down and on third and six and would force the field goal attempt. He would make it to tie the game at 17.

The Rams offense continued to struggle and needed something to stop the bleeding. Who else but Davante Adams? Stafford hit Adams to pick up a much needed first down.

However, two plays later, the Rams had another third down. On that play, a pass to Davante Adams would go incomplete but a hit by a Panthers defender on a defenseless Adams sparked extra-curricular activities. The Rams were forced to settle for three but re-took the lead.

On the kickoff, the Panthers would gain a massive bump when Desjuan Johnson got called for a taunt. To make matters worse, with Ahkello Witherspoon already out, Emmanuel Forbes hobbled out of the game, with Roger McCreary playing outside corner.

McCreary, who has mostly played from the slot over his career, came into the game and the Panthers looked to test him. However, they got overzealous and went for it on fourth down, failing to convert, giving the Rams the ball at midfield.

The Rams then shot themselves in the foot, allowing Stafford to get sacked before Stafford threw a pick on an intended pass to Davante Adams, undercut by Mike Jackson. The narrative of this game is the Panthers taking advantage of the Rams' mistakes and the Rams letting Carolina off the hook.

That narrative exemplified itself as Bryce Young would advance the Panthers into the red zone with a deep strike to end the quarter.

Fourth Quarter

The Rams compounded their issues with a personal foul penalty on Nate Landman, giving Carolina first and goal at the three. Chuba Hubbard would punch it in for the go-ahead score. For the first time all day, the Rams were trailing.

Could Matthew Stafford be vintage? Could Sean McVay do it again?

Well a dot to Davante Adams to flip the field is a great way to start. Puka Nacua would then set up third and one at the 30. Then the Rams did the unthinkable, calling a pass that Stafford let float in the air, needing Nacua to play safety to prevent an interception.

The Rams would go for it and would get in on the ground. With a fresh set of chains, the Rams went to Kyren Williams to change up their approach. Then on third and short, the Rams did something unique, catching the Panthers off guard with a QB sneak.

McVay then dialed up a jet sweep with Nacua before a pass to Kyren Williams would lead to the go-ahead score.

The Rams defense would then put together a three-and-out, taking over on their 19. This could be the drive that could seal the game. Stafford would find Nacua again in the smallest of windows to move the chains as the clock slowly ticked under six minutes.

The problem is that a holding penalty would require twenty yards to pick up a first down. The Rams failed to do so and would be forced to punt. The problem is that the punt would be blocked, setting Carolina up in automatic field goal range.

The Panthers would quickly move inside the Rams' ten before Jalen Coker scored the go-ahead touchdown.

On offense, the Rams hit Nacua and then Adams to take the ball near midfield before the two-minute warning.

The Final Two Minutes

Stafford had his moment once again. He failed to score in the regular season but this moment could define his legacy. A championship drive is what was required by a single mistake could end everything.

Stafford would hit Adams and Nacua in succession to move to the Panthers' 30. Adams then dropped a wide open pass that would've given them a first down.

It would be Adams' understudy Konate Mumpfield who would pick up the first on the next play. Then, in his finest moment, Stafford hit Colby Parkinson with a surgical pass for the touchdown.

The Rams desperately held on to a 34-31 lead with 38 seconds left. Panthers with all three timeouts and kicker who hasn't missed all night. The return took the clock to 32 seconds. The Rams pass rush forced an incompletion with 25 seconds left. They would repeat that action, taking the clock to 17 seconds.

The Rams would force an incompletion again to force fourth down. This was it. One stop and it would be over. However, the Rams would call timeout.

With 12 seconds, the Rams forced a fourth straight incompletion to win what has been a game for the ages.

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