The Panthers didn’t do much ofn offense.
They didn’t have to. They were playing the Rams.
The Panthers took a beating but were able to come out on top 13-10, thanks to a Los Angeles offense that couldn’t move at all until the final moments.
The win was the second straight for the Panthers (3-5), who have shown an ability in the past to save seasons after terrible starts, so they still have a degree of hope. The 2014 Panthers turned a 3-7-1 start into a division title, though the 6-3 Falcons might not be so compliant this year.
Cam Newton threw for 225 yards and a touchdown, but he also took a load of hits from an aggressive Rams defense.
That had more to do with the fact three offensive line spots were occupied by guys who did not start the season there (left tackle Michael Oher and center Ryan Kalil are out injured, necessitating some shuffling) than anything the referees were doing to protect the reigning MVP.
Mostly, the day was about the offensive ineptitude of Los Angeles.
Lance Kendricks dropped what could have been a fourth-down touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, a play that summed up the entire day for the Rams (3-5).
Case Keenum, bless his heart, kept his team close (which is kind of the true nature of a Jeff Fisher team). He even threw a pass left-handed in the fourth quarter, and hit Kenny Britt for a touchdown with 34 seconds left to make it close. But they couldn’t execute the onsides kick, and the Panthers were able to kneel it out.
And whatever it is that’s keeping No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff on the bench, it must be really something to keep him from warming up in a beauty like this one. Which makes you wonder why they gave up so much to get him.