"They had already beaten the Los Angeles Rams once in the regular season, in Charlotte, and this playoff game would be at the same stadium. The weather forecast looked crummy, working against the Rams, whose quarterback favored indoor conditions. Cam Newton and his big hat were going to show up before the game and pound the drum. Could this be a repeat of when the 7-9 Seahawks upset the Saints? Would there be another moment that matched the absolute euphoria of the Beast Quake?"
"He started out well, going 8-for-8 as he kept finding receiver Puka Nacua, but Stafford began to falter after he hit his throwing hand on the helmet of a Carolina defender. The Panthers' cornerbacks were physical, the incompletions piled up, and Los Angeles began to look rather vulnerable. It seemed ominous when Nacua, who had already scored two first-half touchdowns, missed an easy third as he let a pass bounce right off his hands on third-and-10, right before halftime."
The Carolina Panthers entered the playoff game after beating the Rams once in the regular season and facing Los Angeles in the same Charlotte stadium. Rain and cold weather favored the Panthers over an Rams quarterback who prefers indoor conditions; Cam Newton made a pregame presence. The Panthers, an 8-9 division champion, played aggressively under coach Dave Canales, converting risky fourth-down calls and forcing defensive stops, despite errors like Trevor Etienne's muffed punt. Matthew Stafford completed many early passes to Puka Nacua, recovered after a hand injury, and led a final game-winning drive as the Rams prevailed, 34-31.
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