With Matthew Stafford throwing for 304 yards and three touchdowns, Los Angeles Rams They won 34-31 over the Carolina Panthers this Saturday at the start of the playoffs NFLin a long-suffering struggle that became a true postseason classic.
Despite a hand injury that appeared to severely affect his throwing, the 37-year-old quarterback threw a game-saving touchdown in the final minute to avoid the Rams’ embarrassment and advance to the divisional round of the National Conference (NFC).
He did so by providing a precise 19-yard pass to tight end Colby Parkinson, who with 38 seconds left secured the ball and spun with just enough time and space, close to the sideline, to seal the victory at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
“It was a total team effort. Obviously we made some mistakes along the way,” Stafford told FOX. “There are many things we need to improve, but we found a way to win the game.”
Large favorites, at least on paper, for the contest in North Carolina, the Rams ended the Panthers’ return to the postseason after an eight-year absence.
In addition, they gave rise to a true classic that catapulted the future of Bryce Young, 24, as quarterback of the Panthers in the most powerful American football league on the planet.
Young, selected by Carolina with the first pick in the 2023 draft, threw for 264 yards, one touchdown and one interception in his playoff debut, which his team arrived with an 8-9 record.
The locals rallied after being down by 14 points early in the second quarter and took the lead with 2:39 minutes left, but ultimately could not reach a field goal that would allow them to extend the game.
The receivers’ room was dominated by Puka Nacua with 111 yards and a touchdown for the Rams, while Jalen Coker had 134 yards and a score for the Panthers.
Once the wild card round is over, the Rams will face the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round next week.
Los Angeles are among the favorites for this year’s Super Bowl, which will be played in California, at the home of their NFC rivals, the San Francisco 49ers.
The 49ers will face the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles in another wild card game on Sunday.
Later this Saturday, the Chicago Bears host the Green Bay Packers in the latest chapter of the heated rivalry between the NFC North giants.
Other highlights from the wild card round include Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills against the reborn Jacksonville Jaguars.
