Panthers Ground the Rams in Week 13: A Wake-Up Call for L.A.’s Defense
The Los Angeles Rams walked into Week 13 riding high, but they left Charlotte with a bitter taste in their mouths after a tough 31-28 loss to the Carolina Panthers. It was a game that exposed some cracks in the Rams’ defensive armor - and one that players like Kobie Turner and Byron Young are already using as fuel for what’s ahead.
“Honestly, I’m excited about where we go from here,” Turner said after the game. “Gives you a little extra motivation to make it right this next week. I feel sorry for who we got next week.”
That’s the kind of mindset you want from a young defensive leader. And linebacker Byron Young echoed that same energy, calling it “a humbling experience” and a necessary one. The Rams are still 9-3 and firmly in the playoff mix, but this was a reminder: nothing comes easy in December.
Panthers Win the Ground War
Let’s start with the obvious - Carolina didn’t just run the ball effectively; they built their entire game plan around it. The Panthers ran the ball 40 times compared to just 22 pass attempts, controlling nearly 65% of their offensive snaps on the ground. That kind of commitment isn’t just old-school football - it’s a deliberate strategy to control tempo, shorten the game, and keep Matthew Stafford watching from the sideline.
Chuba Hubbard led the way with 83 yards on 17 carries, consistently moving the chains and setting up manageable second and third downs. Rico Dowdle chipped in with 58 yards on 18 carries, and Bryce Young added a few timely scrambles of his own. It wasn’t flashy, but it was efficient - and more importantly, it was relentless.
The second and third quarters were where the Panthers really leaned in. Carolina ran the ball 25 times for 139 yards in those two frames alone, picking up eight first downs and chewing up clock.
In the third quarter, they ran it 16 times and passed just four. That’s not just commitment - that’s control.
Rams Feel the Absence of Quentin Lake
One of the biggest storylines coming out of this game was the impact of not having safety Quentin Lake on the field. Lake has quietly become one of the Rams’ most important defenders - not just as a deep coverage guy, but as a communicator and a physical presence in the run game. Without him, the Rams’ defense looked disjointed.
The numbers back it up. From Weeks 1 through 12, the Rams were generating pressure on 39% of opposing dropbacks.
Against Carolina? That number plummeted to 25%.
That gave Bryce Young a clean pocket far too often, and the rookie made the Rams pay: 15-of-20, 206 yards, three touchdowns, and zero turnovers. That’s surgical.
And when the front seven isn’t getting home, it puts the secondary in a tough spot. Cornerbacks Emmanuel Forbes Jr. and Cobie Durant had a rough afternoon.
Forbes gave up five catches for 110 yards and two scores, including the game-winning 43-yard strike to Tetairoa McMillan. Durant allowed 66 yards and a touchdown on five receptions.
Neither corner had much help, and the Panthers took full advantage.
Personnel Packages and the Battle in the Trenches
The Rams threw a lot of different defensive looks at Carolina - seven different personnel packages, to be exact. They were in base defense 40.3% of the time, nickel on 45.2%, and dime for the remaining 14.5%. The most-used look was the 4-2-5 nickel, which featured four down linemen, two linebackers, and five defensive backs.
That shift in personnel reflected a clear adjustment to Carolina’s heavy run approach. But the problem wasn’t scheme - it was depth. The Rams’ defensive line couldn’t sustain pressure over multiple series, and the Panthers leaned into that weakness.
Kobie Turner broke it down postgame with refreshing honesty.
“We got to do a much better job on first and second down to get them into those third-and-long situations,” he said. “They’re not a team that gets in second and long and automatically passes the ball. We need to earn the right on early downs, get them behind the sticks, and really make them play from behind.”
That’s been the Rams’ bread and butter all season - force third-and-long, then let the pass rush dictate the game. But when Carolina stayed ahead of schedule, that strategy collapsed. The Panthers were able to run their full playbook, and the Rams couldn’t tee off the way they’re used to.
Situational Football Tells the Story
Carolina’s early-down success was the key to this entire game. They converted five first downs on second down and ran the ball 40 times overall - that’s how you keep a defense honest. The Rams couldn’t pin their ears back and go after the quarterback because they were constantly defending the run.
And that takes a toll. Extended drives wore down the Rams’ front seven, and by the time the fourth quarter rolled around, you could see it.
Missed tackles, slower pursuit, and less juice off the edge. It wasn’t just a physical battle - it was a war of attrition, and the Panthers won it.
Looking Ahead: Regroup and Respond
Despite the loss, the Rams are still in a strong spot at 9-3. But this game served as a reminder of just how thin the margin is in the NFL - especially on the defensive side of the ball.
When the front seven can’t generate pressure, the secondary is exposed. When the opponent controls the clock, your offense sits idle.
And when depth becomes an issue, it shows up fast.
The Rams now turn their attention to the Arizona Cardinals, who are rolling out Jacoby Brissett after making a quarterback change. It's a matchup that offers both a chance to bounce back and an opportunity to prove they’ve learned from what happened in Charlotte.
Turner put it best: “Setbacks are setups for a greater comeback.”
This team has the talent. It has the leadership.
What it needs now is execution - especially on early downs, where games like this are won and lost. Week 13 was a wake-up call.
Now we get to see how the Rams answer it.