The Panthers upset the Rams in a regular-season meeting.
One of the top Super Bowl favorites heading into this postseason will take on the fifth team in NFL history (not including the 1982 strike-shortened season) to make the playoffs with a losing record.
There wasn’t much suspense over which game would be in the Saturday afternoon slot of wild-card weekend.
The Los Angeles Rams-Carolina Panthers matchup looks like a mismatch, though the Panthers did beat the Rams in the regular-season meeting. That, and the relatively decent history of those losing teams in the playoffs, provides some hope for a competitive game to kick off the postseason.
Previous meeting this season
Back in Week 13, the Panthers beat the Rams 31-28 in a rainy game that was probably Matthew Stafford’s worst performance of what might be an MVP season.
Stafford threw an interception into the end zone after the Rams drove to Carolina’s 8-yard line, threw another pick-6 and lost a fumble on a strip-sack in Panthers territory in the final three minutes with his team trailing by three points. Those three plays were the difference in a three-point game, and without that win the Panthers wouldn’t have been in the playoffs.
Health update
Davante Adams’ return to the lineup is the biggest news from the injury report. He has practiced in full this week. The news might not be so good for Rams guard Kevin Dotson, who hasn’t practiced this week due to an ankle injury, or tight end Terrance Ferguson, who has missed practice with a hamstring injury. The injury report for the Panthers is pretty clean. The only DNP from Wednesday was defensive tackle Derrick Brown, who was listed as out due to rest.
The head coaches
Dave Canales survived a 5-12 first season with the Panthers, which wasn’t assured because owner David Tepper has little patience. The Panthers weren’t great this season but good enough to make the playoffs, which is a step forward for Canales and the franchise.
Canales’ first playoff game as head coach comes against one of the best coaches of this generation. Sean McVay is one of the rare coaches with a winning career record in playoff games (8-5), and he has a Super Bowl championship and another NFC championship on his resume. He was excellent again in leading the Rams to a 12-5 record.
Key player for the Panthers
Bryce Young has had one game all season in which he threw for more than 206 yards and the Panthers won. That was an overtime win over the Falcons, in which Young erupted for 448 yards. This is the biggest game of Young’s pro career, and we still don’t really know if he’s a great long-term answer for the Panthers. His passer rating has improved every season, but the glimpses of him looking like a true franchise quarterback have been brief. A big performance in an upset win over the Rams would help change the perception.
Key player for the Rams
Davante Adams missed the final three games for the Rams with a hamstring injury, and it’s probably not a coincidence the team went 1-2. Adams is practicing in full this week and is expected to play Saturday, which is a big boost for the offense. Adams is the Rams’ easy button near the goal line. He led the NFL with 14 receiving touchdowns despite missing the final three games. He also takes some pressure off Puka Nacua, though Nacua doesn’t need much help. Getting Adams healthy before the playoffs is huge for the Rams.
Prediction
The Panthers had an 8-9 record and a -69 point differential. Still, of the four losing teams to make the playoffs before the Panthers, two won their wild-card matchups. One was the famous “Beastquake” game with the Seahawks beating the Saints in 2010, and the other was the Panthers beating the Cardinals in 2014.
It’s hard to make a decent argument for how the Panthers can beat the Rams, who are the clearly superior team. But Carolina did beat Los Angeles already, so keeping this one close shouldn’t be too much to ask.
Rams 23, Panthers 13
Category: General Sports
