LOS ANGELES -- In Week 18, the Los Angeles Rams were able to pick up a win, 37-20 over the Arizona Cardinals, to lock up the five seed and travel to play the fourth-seeded Carolina Panthers.
Mathew Stafford and the passing attack had a huge bounce-back performance as he went for 252 passing yards, four touchdowns, and was sacked only once. Stafford’s connection with his receivers was amazing.
The top target was Tyler Higbee, who hauled in five passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. Puka Nacua added 10 catches for 76 yards and a score, with several contested balls showcasing how elite he really is. Lastly, Colby Parkinson had four receptions for 36 yards and two scores.
Even without Davante Adams, the Rams have been able to pass the ball at an elite level, and with him potentially coming back, LA could take another step up.
The ground game for Los Angeles also showed up with 31 carries for 143 yards on 4.6 yards per rush. Kyren Williams had 12 carries for 60 yards, and Blake Corum added 13 carries for 59 yards. This balance with the rushing attack will be crucial, especially on the road for most of the playoffs.
Defensively, the Rams had a good day against the Arizona Cardinals in the pass game. They sacked Jacoby Brisett six times, picked him off once, but did allow 238 yards and two touchdowns. The LA front showed up again, and if they can just partner with the back end, this defense can get back to being truly elite.
Los Angeles allowed Michael Wilson and Trey McBride to have high-performing games. Wilson had five catches for 99 yards and a score, with McBride adding seven catches for 65 yards. It will be very interesting to see if Carolina can make the Rams pay with their weapons.
The rush defense for Los Angeles did a good job as well, allowing 15 carries for 79 yards on 5.3 yards per attempt. As the game got out of hand, Arizona had to go away from the run game.
The upcoming opponent Panthers, are coming off a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but were able to clinch the NFC South for the first time since 2015. The story of the game really was the missed opportunities for Carolina, as well as several calls going Tampa Bay’s way that changed the game in some ways.
There was one questionable call where Dave Canales decided to do a flea-flicker, and Carolina lost the ball on a fumble by Rico Dowdle, which potentially cost them the game. Decision-making needs to be better to beat a team as good as the Rams.
In the pass game, Bryce Young really showed up with 266 yards and two touchdowns, but threw one interception. His connection with Tetairoa McMillan was major as they got together four times for 85 yards.
Jalen Coker also added six catches for 47 yards and an amazing catch for that score in the red zone. Lastly, tight end Tommy Tremble got going with three catches for 38 yards and a score as well. Young does a great job of finding the open receiver and not just forcing the ball.
However, the rushing attack for the Panthers, which is normally average, significantly struggled on Saturday. In total, Carolina rushed for 19 yards on 14 carries with a 1.4-yard average. This cannot happen in key games like this because it puts you in so many passing situations. This must improve before Saturday.
The defense did a great job against Baker Mayfield in the pass game, holding him to 198 yards, sacking him twice, and picking him off once. They did allow an early touchdown, but after that did a great job.
The rushing attack for the Buccaneers did gash Carolina at times. Tampa totaled 140 yards on 42 carries and 3.3 yards per rush. It did require a lot of carries to get there, but a commitment to it could be an issue for this defense.
This game last time came down to the turnovers, and it seems that the Panthers will need to force one in order to put the Rams in a tough position on the road. In their last three games, Carolina forces 1.3 turnovers per game (eighth), which could be huge against the Rams, who thrive on rhythm. LA in their last three has averaged 1.0 giveaways per game (11th) and turned it over three times in the last matchup. If Los Angeles doesn't play a clean game, it risks Carolina keeping this game close.
To build off the homefield advantage, the Panthers have to establish the run and chew some clock. Carolina ranks 19th, rushing for 116.3 yards per game, which needs to be better. The Rams are the 12th unit against the run, giving up 110.8 rush yards per game. If LA stops the run here, the Panthers will be in several long passing situations, which heavily favors the Rams with their elite front of pass rushers and linebackers
A major matchup that will have a lot of implications in this game is Stafford and the passing attack of LA versus the Panthers' passing defense. The Rams are the best passing offense in the NFL, averaging 268.1 yards per game. The Panthers are a unit that is average, ranking 15th and allowing 203.9 passing yards per game. Stafford looks to win MVP, and if he can perform like that with Nacua, Adams, and all the tight ends, the Panthers may be in for a long afternoon.
Carolina must take advantage of a Rams’ secondary that has allowed lots of yards in the air. If they can give Young time, there will be opportunities with McMillan, Tremble, and Coker.
The Panthers are the 26th passing offense at 179.3 pass yards per game, going against the struggling LA pass defense, which ranks 19th and allows 216.7 pass yards per game. The passing attack of Carolina has been very inconsistent this season, but if Young can rise to the occasion that is the playoffs, the Panthers may find themselves in the divisional round.
This game has so much involved in it, and beating the Rams twice will be a very tough accomplishment for the Panthers. LA has several matchups in this game that seem to be in their favor. So what is my prediction?
My prediction is that the Rams will be moving on 30-20 because Stafford plays clean, gets the ball to his weapons, and the LA front dominates Carolina, making it tough on Young, Dowdle, McMillan, and the rest of the Panther offense.
This game is going to start the playoffs and set the tone. So, get ready for some high-intensity football, get some hot food to stay warm, and enjoy the postseason football.