The Rams made a critical error late in the fourth quarter when Stafford dropped back on third down and was sacked, fumbling it away to the Panthers. Los Angeles was in field goal range with a chance to tie, but the fumble gave the ball away to the Panthers and allowed them to seal the deal with a first down on the next drive.

The Rams' CBs came back down to earth with poor grades against the Panthers, while Blake Corum shined on offense.

The Seattle Seahawks will have a first-round bye, but the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers learned their NFC playoff opponents after Week 18.

How to watch Carolina Panthers vs Los Angeles Rams NFL playoff wild-card game Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, with time, TV channel, streaming, announcers.