The 2026 NFL playoffs kicked off, and Saturday’s games showcased that perfectly. Against all odds, the Carolina Panthers proved to be a worthy opponent for the Los Angeles Rams, who, relying on the experience of Matthew Stafford and Davante Adams, secured a hard-fought victory to advance to the next round.
Wins like this often come when a team has a quarterback experienced in high-stakes games. Stafford, before the final stretch where his Rams ultimately turned the game around, told his offensive teammates, “Let’s go snatch these guys’ hearts.”
After the game wrapped up, Davante Adams spoke with the media and shared an interesting reflection on his QB’s words during a critical moment of the matchup, when the tide ultimately turned in its favor.
“That was pretty cold, just to hear that,” Adams said, via the team’s website. “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 on his face, and then throw the touchdown, and then the look on his face after that, was just MVP stuff.”
Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates with Davante Adams.
Stafford’s MVP-worthy performance against the Panthers
In a performance that solidified his case for the league’s highest individual honor, Matthew Stafford delivered an absolute masterclass in the clutch to lead the Los Angeles Rams past the Carolina Panthers.
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After a mid-game slump, the ageless veteran turned into a fourth-quarter assassin, completing 12-of-15 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns in the final frame alone. His surgical precision was most evident during the game-winning 71-yard march, which he capped off with a perfectly placed 19-yard strike to Colby Parkinson with just 38 seconds remaining.
This MVP-type display not only secured a 34-31 victory but also broke Kurt Warner’s franchise record for postseason passing touchdowns, proving once again that Stafford remains one of the most dangerous late-game quarterbacks in NFL history.
What’s next for the Rams?
Following their thrilling Wild Card victory, the Los Angeles Rams’ next destination depends entirely on the outcome of the 49ers-Eagles matchup. If the Eagles win, the Rams will travel to Seattle to face the top-seeded Seahawks in a division rivalry showdown. However, if the 49ers pull off the upset, Los Angeles will instead head to Soldier Field to take on the Chicago Bears.
