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Stafford’s Late TD Lifts Rams Over Panthers 34-31 in Wild Card Thriller

Postgame, Stafford said a finger on his throwing hand was bent, leaving his status to be evaluated.

Overview

  • With 2:39 left and trailing, the 37-year-old led a seven-play, 71-yard drive capped by a 19-yard touchdown to Colby Parkinson with 38 seconds remaining.
  • Stafford went 24-of-42 for 304 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, including a 12-of-15, two-touchdown fourth quarter during a period that featured four lead changes.
  • The win sends Los Angeles to the NFC Divisional Round as Stafford passed Kurt Warner for the most playoff passing yards, passing touchdowns and wins in Rams history.
  • Stafford’s season-long case grew around an AP First-Team All-Pro selection after leading the NFL with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns in 2025.
  • Discipline and special teams loomed as concerns, with nine penalties for 83 yards, a 3-of-13 third-down rate, and an Isaiah Simmons punt block that set up a short Panthers touchdown, as the Rams await their next opponent.