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CHARLOTTE — The Carolina Panthers, in danger of being blown out early, were tied with the Los Angeles Rams in the second half of their NFC Wild Card game at Bank of America Stadium.
A field goal by Carolina’s Ryan Fitzgerald on the first possession of the second half tied the game at 17. The Rams led 14-0 early after some early Panthers’ miscues, but it was Los Angeles that made mistakes late in the first half to allow Carolina back in the game.
In the franchise’s first home playoff game in a decade, the Panthers needed a clean, mistake-free performance. In the first half, the Panthers didn’t measure up. Carolina failed to convert on fourth down on its first possession, had a pass intercepted and, late in the half, muffed a punt.
But a defensive stand, subsequent touchdown run by quarterback Bryce Young late in the second quarter and Rams’ mistakes pulled Carolina to within 17-14 at halftime.
Young’s 16-yard scramble reignited the crowd, which had been largely subdued after several Carolina miscues.
The Panthers went for it on fourth-and-1 from their own 45 on the game’s first possession, but were stopped when quarterback Bryce Young’s pass fell incomplete.
Los Angeles took advantage of the excellent field position and scored four plays later on a 14-yard touchdown pass from star quarterback Matthew Stafford to All-Pro receiver Puka Nakua. Nakua had three catches for 40 yards in the 45-yard drive.
The score quieted the crowd at Bank of America Stadium, which just moments earlier had been in a frenzy after former quarterback Cam Newton’s pre-game banging of the team’s “Keep Pounding” drum.
Young was intercepted late in the first quarter on a pass intended for Jalen Coker, giving Los Angeles possession at the Carolina 48. Nacua ended the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run to extend Los Angeles’ lead to 14-0.
But the Panthers responded with a 65-yard touchdown drive to cut the deficit in half. Young had three consecutive completions of 15, 14 and 22 yards with rookie standout Tetiaroa McMillian catching the final two.
The Rams tacked on a field goal to extend its lead to 17-7, and it appeared the Panthers might have a chance to cut into the deficit late in the half. Los Angeles, after Stafford missed an open Davante Adams down the left sideline, punted from their own territory.
But punt returner Trevor Etienne muffed the punt, and the Rams recovered. Carolina held the Rams as Stafford, the MVP favorite, threw incomplete on fourth down – and quickly drove 81 yards for its touchdown. A 28-yard pass interference penalty and a 37-yard pass from Young to Coker ignited the drive.
Nacua dropped a long pass with 15 seconds left in the half that could have given the Rams a touchdown.
Carolina offensive linemen Ikem Ekwonu and Robert Hunt were injured in the first half. Ekwonu (knee) was ruled out for the rest of the game, while Hunt, who just returned to the lineup, is questionable with a pectoral injury. Hunt returned in the second half.
Stafford and Nacua were named first-team All-Pro by the Associated Press on Saturday. Nacua was a unanimous selection among the 50 voters. The Panthers are the only NFL playoff team without a first- or second-team selection.
It is the first home playoff game for the franchise since a Jan. 24, 2016 victory against the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship Game. That is Carolina’s last playoff win. The Panthers lost in the Super Bowl and also lost at New Orleans on Jan. 7, 2018, their last playoff game.
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