Stafford commits 3 turnovers, Panthers stun Rams

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Bryce Young’s teammates say he never wavers in pressure situations.

Perhaps that is why he thrives in them.

Young completed 15 of 20 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns — two of them coming on fourth down, including a go-ahead 43-yarder to rookie Tetairoa McMillan with 6:34 left — and the Carolina Panthers forced three Matthew Stafford turnovers to beat Los Angeles 31-28 on Sunday and snap the Rams’ six-game winning streak.

At 24 years and 128 days, Young became the youngest player in NFL history to have 11 game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime, passing reigning league MVP Josh Allen (24 years, 164 days).

“His demeanor, his aura when it comes to late drives is contagious,” McMillan said. “The proof is in the pudding. He’s done it now, what did you say, 11 times? The fact that your leader on offense can do that, you know, it speaks volumes for sure.”

Added running back Chuba Hubbard: “He’s never worried. He’s just cool as (heck).”

The win allowed the Panthers (7-6) to remain a half game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South and gave them their best start to the season since 2017 when they last made the playoffs.

The Bucs held on to beat Arizona 20-17 on Sunday.

Stafford came into the game on a roll, having thrown 18 touchdown passes in his past five games. He finished 18 of 28 passes for 243 yards with two TD tosses to Davante Adams, his 13th and 14th of the season.

But it was the turnovers that did the Rams (9-3) in.

The Panthers intercepted Stafford twice, the first of which by Nick Scott ended the 37-year-old’s NFL record of 28 straight TD passes without an interception and a second that was returned by 48 yards for a touchdown by Mike Jackson.

Derrick Brown, who tipped a ball resulting in Stafford’s first pick, came up with a key strip-sack with 2:25 left in the game to preserve the win.

Prior to Brown’s sack, the Rams took a delay of game penalty, changing a third-and-5 into a third-and-10 and forcing a different play call.

“I can’t take that,” Stafford said. “That’s on nobody but me. I have to get that thing off. I thought I had enough time.”

If Stafford had not fumbled, the Rams could have kicked a field goal to tie the game.

“They made the plays to be able to win the football game,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “The things that we’ve been doing at a high clip we didn’t do today. We gave ourselves chances to get back in it and retake leads. And turnovers and some of the fourth down conversions they were able to convert was a difference.”

The Panthers, a 10-point underdog, came into the game without three regular defensive starters because of injuries, including star cornerback Jaycee Horn.

“Nobody gave us a shot all week,” Brown said. “It’s been that way since we were 1-3 when everybody outside of this locker room was like, ‘here we go again.’ Many people didn’t see the vision but we knew if we would just kept working we would have those opportunities.”

The Panthers had just one pass play of longer than 20 yards in a 20-9 loss to San Francisco on Monday night.

That changed in a big way on Sunday.

Young connected on TD passes of 35 yards to Chuba Hubbard, 33 yards to Jalen Coker and 43 yards to McMillan.

With rain falling heavily in the second half, the Panthers leaned on a strong running game to control the clock and keep Stafford and the high-powered offense off the field. Hubbard had 83 yards rushing from Rico Dowdle added 58.

The Panthers appeared to be in control entering the fourth quarter leading 24-21 and running the ball well.

But tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders was flagged for a key holding call deep in Rams territory and the Panthers drive ended in a punt.

The Rams came alive on offense with Blake Corum escaping around right end for a 34-yard run. Puka Nacua then hauled in a dramatic leaping, one-handed 30-yard catch to set up a 7-yard TD run by Kyren Williams to give Los Angeles the lead.

But Carolina answered when McMillan got behind the Rams defense and hauled in his only catch of the game on a fourth-and-2 play to give Carolina back the lead.

Notable

Stafford passed Matt Ryan to move into eighth place all time in the NFL with 62,882 yards passing.

Injuries

Rams: Kyren Williams battled through an ankle injury, but stayed in the game.

Panthers: None reported

Up next

Saints: At Arizona on Sunday.

Panthers: Have a bye next weekend, then play at New Orleans on Dec. 14.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl