In a game that will be remembered for its wild swings and heart-stopping drama, Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams overcame adversity, injuries, and a relentless Carolina Panthers squad to claim a 34-31 victory in the NFC Wild Card round on January 11, 2026, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The win sends the Rams to the Divisional Round and cements Stafford’s legacy as one of the NFL’s most clutch quarterbacks.
Stafford, who entered the game battling a degenerative back condition and left it with a battered finger on his throwing hand, orchestrated a stunning seven-play, 71-yard drive with under three minutes remaining. With the Rams trailing and the season hanging by a thread, the 37-year-old quarterback was the picture of calm—at least on the outside. Inside, as wide receiver Davante Adams later revealed, Stafford was all fire and determination.
“Let’s go snatch these guys’ hearts,” Stafford told Adams before the decisive drive, according to the Rams’ official site. Adams, who finished with five receptions for 72 yards, couldn’t help but smile at the audacity and confidence of his quarterback. “That was pretty cold, just to hear that,” Adams said. “And I actually literally smiled in the moment, because I thought that was like one of the most gangster things you could say in that moment, honestly. And to hear him say that, and the look on his face, and then throw the touchdown, and then the look on his face after that, was just MVP stuff.”
The fourth quarter was nothing short of a rollercoaster, featuring four lead changes—a mark that ties the NFL playoff record for most in a single quarter. The Rams, who had jumped out to a 14-0 lead early thanks to Stafford’s connection with Puka Nacua and a quick-strike offense, found themselves on the ropes as the Panthers clawed back behind the playmaking of quarterback Bryce Young and running back Chuba Hubbard. Carolina’s defense stiffened in the third quarter, and a blocked punt set up a go-ahead touchdown for the Panthers late in the fourth.
But Stafford, unfazed by the mounting pressure and the pain in his hand, delivered when it mattered most. The game-winning drive began with a 7-yard completion to Nacua, followed by two quick passes to Adams for 10 and 6 yards, and then an 18-yard dart to Nacua up the seam. A clutch 11-yard pass to Konata Mumpfield put the Rams in striking distance. With 43 seconds left, Stafford dropped back and fired a perfect back-shoulder throw to tight end Colby Parkinson, who spun around in tight coverage and hauled in the 19-yard touchdown. The completion probability on that throw? Just 27.3 percent, per NFL Next Gen Stats—a testament to both Stafford’s daring and Parkinson’s hands.
“Why is no one celebrating?” Parkinson recalled thinking after the catch. “I’m in. Come on.” The Rams sideline erupted a moment later, fully realizing the magnitude of what had just transpired.
Stafford’s performance in the fourth quarter was nothing short of heroic. He completed 12 of 15 passes for 146.0 passer rating and two touchdowns in the final frame, finishing the night 24-of-42 for 304 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. More than just numbers, though, Stafford’s leadership and poise under fire were what stood out. “He was steady—it was MVP type of stuff what he did,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said. “He got a bunch of different guys involved. I thought he saw the field really well and that’s why we’re advancing, because of his leadership.”
It was a night of milestones for Stafford as well. With the victory, he surpassed Hall of Famer Kurt Warner for the most passing yards, touchdowns, and wins in Rams playoff history. The game also marked his 42nd career fourth-quarter comeback and 54th career game-winning drive, both ranking among the top five in NFL history. Earlier that day, Stafford was named a first-team All-Pro for the first time in his 17-season career—an honor that seemed almost prophetic given his late-game heroics.
The Rams’ early dominance was fueled by Stafford’s quick start—he completed his first eight passes—and a defense that forced an early turnover. Puka Nacua, who had watched highlights of LeBron James’ 2012 Miami Heat season before the game, made a highlight-reel catch for a 16-yard touchdown on the opening drive. The Rams capitalized on a Panthers miscue to quickly make it 14-0, but Carolina refused to go quietly. Bryce Young, showing poise beyond his years, led the Panthers on two scoring drives before halftime, and Chuba Hubbard’s steady running kept the Rams defense honest.
The third quarter belonged to the Panthers, as they forced a Stafford interception and blocked a punt, setting up a go-ahead touchdown. Yet, every time the momentum seemed to shift decisively in Carolina’s favor, Stafford and the Rams found a way to answer. That resilience, forged through years of playoff heartbreak and triumph, was evident in every snap of the final drive.
Stafford’s toughness—both physical and mental—was on full display. Playing through a finger injury reminiscent of one he suffered nine seasons ago in Detroit, he brushed off the pain and delivered in the clutch. “It wasn’t pleasant,” Stafford admitted. “It wasn’t great.” But as former teammate Golden Tate once said of Stafford, “Bro, I’m straight. I got nine other fingers. He’s different!”
Defensively, the Rams got a spark from cornerback Cobie Durant, who recorded an interception in the first quarter. Durant summed up the mood on the sideline as the game reached its fever pitch: “You gotta live for moments like that, man. Just to see Matt drive the ball down the field like that, you don’t want to be nowhere else.”
For the Panthers, the loss was a bitter pill after a valiant comeback. Bryce Young threw a crucial touchdown to Jalen Coker late in the fourth quarter, and the defense made key plays to keep Carolina in the game. But in the end, Stafford’s experience and the Rams’ offensive weapons proved too much to overcome.
As the final seconds ticked away and the Rams defense forced four straight incompletions to seal the win, it was clear that Los Angeles had survived one of the wildest playoff finishes in recent memory. The Rams now look ahead to the Divisional Round, riding a wave of momentum and buoyed by the knowledge that with Matthew Stafford at the helm, no deficit is insurmountable and no moment too big.