The Carolina Panthers are gearing up for their first playoff game since the 2017 season this weekend. Carolina won the NFC South after Atlanta pulled off a thriller against New Orleans in Week 18. The Panthers now have their first division title since the Cam Newton years and are feeling hyped ahead of the playoffs.
Unfortunately, they will face on the NFL's strongest teams in their first game.
The Panthers will host the red-hot Rams during their wild-card matchup. Every NFL team has to be worried about LA. They have a veteran quarterback who is playing better than ever before, an elite head coach, and great contributors on both sides of the ball.
But Carolina has already slain LA during the 2025 season, winning 31-28 back in Week 13.
The Panthers don't need to completely replicate that game to get a win over the Rams. But there are a few nuggets of wisdom from that matchup that should help them this weekend.
So will the Panthers pull off the unthinkable and beat the Rams? Or will they go one-and-done in the playoffs?
Below we will explore three Panthers bold predictions before their home playoff game against the Rams.
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Bryce Young will not outperform Matthew Stafford
Young is steadily improving as an NFL quarterback. He took another big step forward during the 2025 regular season.
The third-year QB threw for 3,011 passing yards with 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions this year. It was his first 3,000-yard season, which is quite an accomplishment considering how often the Panthers decided to run the football.
Looking back at Week 13, Young was incredibly efficient against the Rams. He went 15-of-20 for 206 passing yards with three touchdowns in Carolina's last win over LA.
I don't think the Panthers need to win this game on Bryce's right arm alone. But I think it will be important for him to remain efficient and to limit turnovers.
If Young can simply keep the offense moving, I can see Carolina having a shot in this game.
I'm predicting that Young will not have more passing yards than Stafford this week.
That's not necessarily a bad thing, as I can see Stafford playing a great game in the playoffs. But it would put the Panthers at a disadvantage.
Tetairoa McMillan scores two touchdowns against the Rams
McMillan has been a huge addition to Carolina's offense this season.
The rookie wide receiver hauled in 70 receptions for 1,014 receiving yards and seven touchdowns during the regular season. He is a serious contender for Offensive Rookie of the Year and has helped unlocked the team's offense.
If the Panthers want to get past the Rams, they'll need a big game from McMillan.
He only managed one 43-yard touchdown reception in his first game against the Rams. But that was because he only received two targets. That needs to change the playoffs.
One weakness the Panthers could exploit is the Rams' sub-par cornerback room. Cobie Durant, Darious Williams, and Quentin Lake are a solid starting lineup. But none of those players are equipped to completely shut down a player like McMillan.
If the Panthers force the ball to McMillan early and often, good things could happen.
I'm predicting that McMillan will score at least two touchdowns against the Rams. Getting the rookie to draw some attention away from the running game could really help keep LA's defense honest.
Honestly, I think the rookie's involvement could be could end up being the key to the entire game. Hopefully he has a big performance.
Panthers have more total rushing yards than Rams, but still lose by one score
It is no secret that the Panthers have relied heavily on their running game in 2025.
Establishing the run has always been a priority in Carolina, and that is still the case this season. But personally, I was shocked to see that Carolina's running attack (statistically speaking) is pretty mediocre.
The Panthers are middle of the pack in terms of every rushing statistic. Part of the problem is opponents selling out to stop Carolina's running game. Especially after Rico Dowdle was a monster earlier this season.
Perhaps a bigger problem for the Panthers is that the Rams seemingly have a better all-around rushing attack. That's on top of being superior in nearly every other way.
Back in Week 13, Carolina outgained Los Angeles on the ground 164 yards to 152 yards.
Unfortunately, the only way they could pull that off was with volume. The Panthers ran the ball a whopping 40 times during that game, while the Rams only needed 21 carries to nearly match that production.
Even if the Panthers can win the battle of best running game in this one, it may not be enough to secure the win.
I'm predicting that Carolina will have at least 150 rushing yards in this game. They will also have more total rushing yards than LA.
But I still see the Panthers losing this game by at least one score.
