Panthers vs. Rams Final Predictions: Can Bryce Young and the Panthers pull off another upset against Matthew Stafford and the Rams?
Here’s how our experts see the most lopsided game of the wild card round going on Saturday.
After falling backwards into the playoffs as the No. 4 seed in the NFC, the Carolina Panthers get the luxury of hosting a first round matchup at Bank of America Stadium and will be awaiting the return of the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday evening.
Back in Week 13, the Panthers took down the Rams, 31-28, in front of the home crowd and it was a massive win for Carolina. At the time, the Rams were the top seed in the NFC and that win marked the second time the Panthers took down the top seeded team in the conference entering the game.
This team has embodied that underdog mindset and that’s certainly what they’ll be on Saturday despite being the higher seed, with some books even having the Rams favored by double digit points in this one. But, how do our experts at A to Z Sports see this going? Here are our final predictions.
Rams 28, Panthers 14
I’m not so sure lightning can strike twice at Bank of America Stadium for the Panthers in this game. While the team upset the Rams in Charlotte back in Week 13, I see this one going the opposite way the second time around with a two possession win for Los Angeles.
Weather played a significant role in that Week 13 win for the Panthers, as did the turnover advantage with Matthew Stafford having three turnovers in that game, including an interception returned for a touchdown. Saying Stafford can play a clean game, this should be light work for the potential MVP and the team I view as the most dangerous team in the conference.
– Kole Noble, A to Z Sports Carolina
Rams 27, Panthers 20
This is the playoff game that many may overlook. They’ll push it to the side because of the matchup, but we routinely see this sort of postseason battles surprise us. The underdog finds a way to make it interesting, and the Panthers will have a home crowd on their side to attempt to do so.
Bryce Young still concerns me in the long-term, but the Rams secondary has been susceptible recently. Carolina cannot miss on downfield opportunities when they’re presented to them. Meanwhile, the Rams offense boasts one of the top WR duos in football. The Panthers won’t be able to stop Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, but they’ve gotta keep them in check to a degree to have any chance here. The Panthers probably keep this one closer than some expect – because that’s just the NFL playoffs, but LA comes out on top.
– Adam Holt, A to Z Sports New Orleans and A to Z Sports Los Angeles contributor
Rams 30, Panthers 23
The first time these two teams played, the Panthers picked up their most impressive win of the season. They get the chance to prove they can do it again in the wildcard round. They’ve had a great year, but I just don’t think they stop MVP favorite Matthew Stafford and the Rams from advancing this time around. I think the Rams get the win, but I think the Panthers cover the -10.5 point spread.
– Destin Adams, A to Z Sports
Rams 31, Panthers 13
The Carolina Panthers are coming into this game as the participation trophy team, if that makes sense. Someone had to get in in the NFC South, the Panthers were just the team that wasn’t the worst of the bunch. As for Rams, they can be a true Super Bowl contender.
Matthew Stafford didn’t play his best ball to close out the season, so he could be looking to get hot in this game. Carolina’s pass defense isn’t a slouch by any means, so Stafford will have his work cut out for him. However, there are times that Panthers offense is just so bad that nothing they do on defense matters. Give me the Rams in this one.
– Justin Churchill, A to Z Sports
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