The Los Angeles Rams travel to Charlotte for the second time this season to take on the Carolina Panthers. This time around, the winner goes home.
The Rams enter the playoffs as the NFC’s No. 5 seed after finishing second in the NFC West. The Panthers are the No. 4 seed in the conference after winning a tiebreaker in the NFC South.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford had three turnovers during the team’s 31-28 Week 13 loss to the Panthers. The Rams have lost two of their past three games as they enter the postseason but are a dangerous team. The Panthers have lost three of the last four games and are the only sub.-500 team to qualify for the playoffs.
How will the Rams vs. Panthers wild-card matchup go? Here’s what to expect ahead of their Jan. 10 playoff battle:
Rams vs. Panthers wild-card game odds
The Rams are a big road favorite in this contest, according to the BetMGM NFL odds.
Spread: Rams (-10)
Moneyline: Rams (-625); Panthers (+450)
Over/under: 46.5
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Rams vs. Panthers matchups to watch
Led by MVP candidate Matthew Stafford, the Rams have one of the best offenses in the NFL. The upstart Panthers won the NFC South and have the confidence that they defeated Los Angeles earlier this season. Here’s a look at some of the most notable matchups to watch.
Panthers pass defense vs. Rams aerial attack
Matthew Stafford tossed two interceptions in the previous meeting against the Panthers. Puka Nacua and Davante Adams combined for 10 catches for 130 yards. Adams also had two touchdown receptions.
The Panthers defense allowed 203.9 passing yards per game during the regular season.
It’ll be interesting to see if Panthers standout cornerback Jaycee Horn travels with either Nacua or Adams. Adams has typically drawn the opposing team’s top corner while defenses shade an extra defender to Nacua.
Stafford is the third player in NFL history with at least 45 touchdown passes and fewer than 10 interceptions in a season, per NFL Research.
Panthers pass rush versus Rams offensive line
The Panthers defense sacked Stafford twice and pressured him four times in their Week 13 victory. Derrick Brown had a strip sack. Brown had a team-best 35 pressures and his five sacks were tied for a team-high during the regular season. Brown and Carolina’s ability to get after Stafford will be key if the Panthers want to pull off the upset.
Jared Verse, Byron Young and Rams front seven against Panthers offense
The Rams have one of the best defensive fronts in football. Verse and Young combined for 19.5 sacks this season. The Rams defense ranked near the top of the league in both pass rush win rate and run stop win rate during the regular season.
Los Angeles had 10 pressures and sacked Bryce Young twice in Week 13. But the Panthers rushed for 164 yards and averaged a little more than four yards per carry. Carolina was the more physical team in the trenches previously. The Rams have to change that if they want to be victorious on Saturday.
Early prediction for Rams vs. Panthers
Rams 27, Panthers 20
Week 13 was probably the worst game of Matthew Stafford’s MVP-caliber season. Stafford committed three turnovers in the loss in which hardly anything went the Rams way. I predict the Rams take better care of the football and send the Panthers packing this time. Los Angeles is the more talented team. However, the Panthers have a lot of bulletin-board material because they are a big home underdog.