Rams-Panthers final score: L.A. stunned in Carolina

The Los Angeles Rams lost to the Carolina Panthers by a final score of 31-28 in week 13, and the Rams were outplayed more times than once in this one. Call it a trap game, call it hubris, but the top team in the NFL after 13 weeks, the Rams, looked off today against the Panthers.

Give the Panthers their credit, they have the roster to put together a tight game against a top team in the NFL, and they did that today.

The game started ideal for the Rams with a 7-0 lead after a passing touchdown from Matthew Stafford to Davantae Adams, but the Panthers would not quit, and when Stafford threw a pick-six to give the Panthers a 14-7 lead, it looked like the Rams could struggle today.

Stafford threw two interceptions in the first quarter today after not throwing any picks since L.A.’s week 3 contest against the Philadelphia Eagles.

When the Rams took a 21-17 lead at halftime, it looked like the Rams had it figured out, but when the Panthers came out of the half and took a 24-21 lead after Bryce Young’s second passing touchdown on the day, it looked like the Rams had a real chance to come away with a loss.

The Rams kept fighting, and down by three points in the fourth quarter, they leaned on Blake Corum, Kyren Williams and Puka Nacua, and it worked as Williams retook a L.A. lead with a rushing score and a 28-24 lead after the extra point.

Bryce Young answered with another passing score to take a 31-28 lead as the Rams were unable to put away the Panthers in this wild shootout.

The Rams had a chance to answer, but Matthew Stafford fumbled the ball away back to Carolina with just over 2-minutes to go in the game, and the Panthers did enough to run down the clock and stun the Rams.

L.A. loses their grip on the top spot in the NFC, and the Panthers are back to looking like they can make the postseason.

After three Stafford turnovers, and an inability to close out the Panthers on defense, the Rams should tip their cap to the Panthers, and look in the mirror to figure out what went wrong because as much as it might feel like it right now, L.A.’s season isn’t over yet.