The Los Angeles Rams found themselves in a dogfight with the Carolina Panthers in Saturday’s Wild Card showdown. The heavily favored Rams jumped out to an early 14-0 advantage. But the Panthers battled back, taking a 31-27 lead with under three minutes remaining in the game.
Carolina’s defense impressed as Matthew Stafford and the Rams struggled in the second half. But the MVP frontrunner delivered with the game on the line. Trailing by four points late, Stafford led a clutch seven-play, 71-yard drive. And he put the Rams up for good with a 19-yard dime to Colby Parkinson.
WOW!
Matthew Stafford with a DOT to Colby Parkinson for the lead taking TD 😤
pic.twitter.com/S3xFIIIgbQ— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 11, 2026
Stafford found the veteran tight end down the right sideline. Parkinson high-pointed the ball with a defender draped all over him. He secured the catch and broke the plane, giving Los Angeles a 34-31 lead with 38 seconds remaining.
Matthew Stafford delivers season-saving drive in Rams’ Wild Card win
The Rams-Panthers clash kicked off the 2025-2026 NFL playoffs. Most observers believed Los Angeles would easily beat an 8-9 Panthers team that snuck into the playoffs. And early on, the game played out as most fans expected.
The Rams struck first when Stafford found Puka Nacua for a 14-yard touchdown on the team's first possession. Then LA capitalized on a Bryce Young interception to take a 14-0 lead. But the Panthers got back in the game with two second-quarter touchdown drives.
Stafford’s interception at the end of the third quarter set Carolina up for the go-ahead score. It was the first of four lead changes in a back-and-forth fourth quarter. The Panthers took a four-point advantage on Jalen Coker’s seven-yard touchdown grab with 2:39 left in regulation.
But Los Angeles answered with the game-winning drive, as Stafford went 6-7 for 71 yards and a touchdown with the season on the line. He capped the drive with a dime to Parkinson, sending the Rams to the Divisional round.
