Matthew Stafford threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns. Bryce Young nearly pulled off a stunner as a double-digit underdog. And a diving 19-yard touchdown catch with 38 seconds left decided everything. If you’re searching for Los Angeles Rams vs Carolina Panthers match player stats, this is the game everyone’s talking about — the January 10, 2026 NFC Wild Card matchup at Bank of America Stadium, which the Rams won 34-31.
This article breaks down every key player’s numbers from that game, explains how the fourth quarter turned into a four-lead-change thriller, and answers the questions fans keep asking about this matchup.
Quick Answer: Who Won and What Were the Final Stats?
The Los Angeles Rams beat the Carolina Panthers 34-31 in the 2026 NFC Wild Card round. Matthew Stafford passed for 304 yards and three touchdowns to lead LA, while Bryce Young threw for 264 yards and a touchdown and added a rushing score for Carolina. The game featured four lead changes in the final quarter alone, tying a postseason record.
Game Overview: Rams Escape Charlotte With a Wild Card Win
Carolina entered as a 10.5-point underdog and an 8-9 division winner making its first playoff trip since 2017. For much of the game, the Panthers looked like they might pull off a historic upset — no team with a losing record had won a playoff game since 2010, and Carolina came close to changing that.
The Rams jumped ahead 14-0 early, but Carolina answered with a furious comeback, eventually grabbing a 24-20 lead in the fourth quarter after Chuba Hubbard’s second rushing touchdown. A blocked punt by Isaiah Simmons set up another short field, and Jalen Coker’s touchdown catch put the Panthers ahead 31-27 with under three minutes remaining. Stafford then led a seven-play, 71-yard drive, capping it with a touchdown pass to tight end Colby Parkinson to win it with 38 seconds on the clock. Carolina’s last chance ended when a fourth-down pass fell incomplete near midfield.
Los Angeles Rams vs Carolina Panthers Match Player Stats: Passing
| Player | Team | Comp/Att | Yards | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Stafford | Rams | — | 304 | 3 | 1 |
| Bryce Young | Panthers | — | 264 | 1 | 1 |
Stafford’s performance stood out especially in crunch time. Over the final quarter, he completed 12 of 15 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns, showing poise even after taking a hand injury on a follow-through earlier in the game. That closing stretch reportedly added more than 57 win-probability points, one of the best fourth-quarter performances by any quarterback that season.
Young, in just his second full season as a starter, threw his first career playoff touchdown and also scored on the ground. His numbers weren’t far off Stafford’s, and Carolina’s coaching staff pointed to his growth as a big reason the team extended his contract option earlier in the year.
Rushing Stats
| Player | Team | Attempts | Yards | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyren Williams | Rams | 13 | 57 | — |
| Chuba Hubbard | Panthers | 13 | 46 | 2 |
| Blake Corum | Rams | — | — | 1 |
Hubbard was Carolina’s workhorse, punching in two short touchdowns that briefly gave the Panthers the lead late in the game. Williams provided steady gains for the Rams without needing a huge workload, since the passing game carried most of the offense.
Receiving Stats
| Player | Team | Receptions | Yards | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puka Nacua | Rams | 10 | 111 | 1 |
| Jalen Coker | Panthers | 9 | 134 | 1 |
Nacua was Stafford’s go-to target all afternoon, hitting triple-digit receiving yards for the second time in the rivalry this season. Coker had the best game of his young career, setting personal highs in both catches and yards, and his touchdown grab in the fourth quarter briefly looked like it might be the game-winner.
The Fourth Quarter: A Record-Setting Finish
What separates this game from a typical Wild Card matchup is how chaotic the final period got. Four different lead changes happened in the fourth quarter alone — matching an NFL playoff record. Here’s roughly how it unfolded:
- Carolina intercepted Stafford and turned it into a Hubbard rushing touchdown, taking a 24-20 lead.
- A blocked Rams punt gave Carolina a short field, leading to Coker’s go-ahead score and a 31-27 Panthers lead.
- Stafford answered with a game-winning touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson, making it 34-31.
- Carolina’s final drive stalled on a dropped fourth-down pass, sealing the Rams’ win.
Both teams’ pass defenses played a role too. Cornerback Cobie Durant had a first-quarter interception off a tipped pass, while Carolina’s Jaycee Horn, a Pro Bowl corner, left the game with a concussion before the Rams’ final drive — a loss that likely hurt Carolina’s coverage down the stretch.
Season Context: Why These Stats Matter
Stafford’s big game wasn’t a one-off. He led the entire NFL in passing yards and touchdowns during the regular season and earned First-Team All-Pro honors, putting him in the middle of the MVP conversation. This playoff win also gave him the Rams’ all-time postseason records for both passing yards and completions.
For Carolina, the loss ended a surprising playoff run that few expected at the start of the season. Coach Dave Canales’s team finished the year having dropped four of its final five games, but reaching the postseason at all marked real progress for a franchise that hadn’t been there since 2017.
Season Series Snapshot
This wasn’t the only meeting between these two teams in the 2025-26 season. Carolina actually won the earlier regular-season matchup on the same field, 31-28, about six weeks before the playoff rematch. In that game, Stafford threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns while also throwing two interceptions, and Young countered with 206 yards and three touchdowns of his own. That result is part of why Carolina entered the playoff game with real confidence, despite being sizable underdogs.
Rams vs Panthers All-Time Series
Going back through their full head-to-head history, the Panthers actually hold a 14-11 edge over the Rams across 25 total meetings, including two postseason games. That makes the Wild Card win especially meaningful for Los Angeles, evening the playoff record between the two franchises at one win apiece.
Key Takeaways
- The Rams beat the Panthers 34-31 in the January 10, 2026 NFC Wild Card game.
- Matthew Stafford threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner to Colby Parkinson with 38 seconds left.
- Bryce Young passed for 264 yards and a touchdown and also scored on the ground for Carolina.
- Puka Nacua (10 catches, 111 yards) and Jalen Coker (9 catches, 134 yards) led their teams in receiving.
- The fourth quarter had four lead changes, tying an NFL postseason record.
- Carolina still leads the all-time regular-season series, but the Rams evened the playoff record with this win.
Content Freshness Note
Stats and records in this article reflect the January 10, 2026 NFC Wild Card game between the Los Angeles Rams and Carolina Panthers. If these two teams meet again in a future season, or if the 2025 NFL MVP announcement (expected February 5, 2026) changes the context around Stafford’s season, this article should be updated with the new matchup details and results.
FAQs
Who won the Rams vs Panthers playoff game?
The Los Angeles Rams won 34-31 over the Carolina Panthers in the 2026 NFC Wild Card round, scoring the game-winning touchdown with 38 seconds remaining.
What were Matthew Stafford’s stats against the Panthers?
Stafford finished with 304 passing yards and three touchdowns against one interception in the Wild Card win.
How many touchdowns did Bryce Young throw against the Rams?
Young threw one passing touchdown and added a rushing touchdown, finishing with 264 passing yards in the playoff loss.
Who led both teams in receiving yards?
Puka Nacua led the Rams with 10 catches for 111 yards and a touchdown, while Jalen Coker led the Panthers with 9 catches for 134 yards and a touchdown.
Did the Panthers make the playoffs in the 2025-26 season?
Carolina finished 8-9 and won its division, reaching the postseason for the first time since 2017 before losing to the Rams in the Wild Card round.
Who has the better all-time record between the Rams and Panthers?
Across 25 total meetings, the Carolina Panthers lead the all-time series 14-11, though the Rams evened the playoff head-to-head with their 2026 Wild Card win.
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