The Los Angeles Rams‘ six-game winning โstreak came to an end Sunday withโข a 31-28 roadโฃ loss โto the Carolinaโค Panthers, droppingโข their record to 7-6. The defeat halts the Rams’ momentum in the NFC playoff picture and hands โa โcrucial victory to Carolina, also now 7-6, in โคa โcrowded conference.
The Rams’ comebackโ attempt โfell short despite โa strong performance from quarterback Matthewโ Stafford, who finished 18 of 28 passing for 243 โขyards and two touchdowns, โฃthough he also threw two interceptionsโ and lost a fumble. That โfumble, recoveredโ by Carolina after a strip-sack, โขwas returned 20 yards to the Panthers’ 49-yardโ line. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty againstโ the Carolina sideline then moved the ball back 15โ yards to their own 34.
Carolina effectively sealed the game with โa โค10-yard completion to Jalen Coker on 3rd and 5 from their own 39 just before the two-minute warning, forcing the Rams to use both of their timeouts.โ rams running back Kyren Williams left the game late inโข the first half with an ankle injury butโ returned to start the second half,contributing toโฃ a combined 153 rushing yards โwith teammate โฃBlake Corum,who each scored a touchdown.
The Rams openedโ the game with an early 7-0 lead after a โค4-yard touchdown pass from โคStafford to Davante Adams,โ set up by a Ronnie Rivers kickoff return toโ midfield โฃand a 15-yardโ penalty โฃagainst the Panthers. Though,Carolina respondedโ with a strong ground game,totaling โ164 โคrushing yards – the second-most the Rams have allowed in a single game this season.