Panthers Playmaker Delivers Reality Check About Rams QB Matthew Stafford
The Los Angeles Rams suffered a disappointing defeat to the Carolina Panthers in Week 13, and it came in an unfortunately fitting fashion. Matthew Stafford has played at an MVP level this season, fueling the Rams’ early-season run out to a 9-2 start.
However, he was the source of 3 turnovers in Week 13.
The Panthers, meanwhile, were unapologetic in victory, making their feelings about Stafford and the Rams painfully clear.
Panthers CB Mike Jackson Takes Shot at Matthew Stafford
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams looks on before facing the San Francisco 49ers.
Stafford completed 18 of 28 passes (64.3%) for 243 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 2 sacks taken, and 1 game-sealing fumble lost. One of his interceptions went for a Panthers touchdown.
It was Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson who did the damage on the play.
“We just came to play today,” Jackson told reporters postgame. “All week, ya’ll [the media] just kept talking about how great he is, and how he’s Superman with no cape. And it was just like, at the end of the day, it’s like who’s better today? And we were. We got the ball out twice – shoot! Three times. So, we got the result that we wanted.”
Stafford had not thrown an interception since Week 3, when the Rams lost on the road 33-26 to the Philadelphia Eagles. He had not thrown multiple interceptions all season.
This was just his second multi-turnover game of the campaign.
“Matthew Stafford has thrown 31 pick-6s in his career,” NFL senior researcher Dante Koplowitz-Fleming noted in a post on X on November 30. “1 behind
Panthers HC Dave Canales Drops Strong Message on Rams
GettyCarolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales looks on before the game against the
Panthers head coach Dave Canales, who coached against McVay and the Rams as a member of the Seattle Seahawks staff from 2010 through 2022, was confident in his team. They entered the contest as multi-touchdown underdogs.
“Canales told team: We’ve seen the Rams best football. They haven’t seen ours yet,” The Athletic’s Joe Person reported on X on November 30.
The Panthers got above .500 (7-6) with the win and find themselves back in the playoff hunt.
This is the first loss for Stafford and the Rams since Week 5 in overtime against the San Francisco 49ers. While that was costly in the NFC West race at the time, this loss has even greater implications for the Rams.
Rams Lose No. 1 Seed to Bears
Stafford and the Rams entered Week 13 as the No. 1 seed in the NFC. However, their loss shifted the balance of power
“With the Rams’ loss to the Panthers, the Bears will enter December as the No. 1 seed in the NFC,”
A Rams loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14, combined with a Bears win, would sting.
The Rams have
There's a surprise twist to one of the key moments in the Dolphins' 21-17 win over Saints that has one defender paying an unexpected cost
The Miami Dolphins' defense should rest easy tonight. The unit's awful start to the season appears to be fully in the rear-view mirror, and Miami, riding a three-game win streak after today's
Douglas' interception came just before halftime, a critical swing of the pendulum that took New Orleans out of scoring territory and Miami in position to steal more points before halftime. But Douglas' big play comes with a bitter aftertaste — as his teammates are hitting him where it counts for not paying off the turnover with a score of his own.
Rasul Douglas catches a fine from the most unexpected place for not scoring on his first-half interception against the Saints
"Oh, (Rasul) is definitely getting fined! It was a great play but he's definitely getting fined for not scoring on that play...within the DB room, we have a fine system, you know what I'm saying? He's definitely getting fined for that one."
— Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick on Rasul Douglas' first-half interception
Tough crowd! The Dolphins secondary has generally found interceptions hard to come by this season. Entering into Week 13, Miami had just three on the season. Fitzpatrick logged one in Week 5 against the Panthers,
Fitzpatrick joked with the media after the game that the total of Douglas' fine is "up for discussion". But Miami Herald reporter C. Isaiah Smalls had the scoop after the game.
*sees Rasul Douglas outside of the locker room*
— c. isaiah smalls ii (@stclaudeii)
Me: "You gotta get to the crib!"
Douglas: *sighs* "I know! I just got fined $2000 for that."November 30, 2025
It's always fun to get peeks behind the curtain like this. Douglas' contribution to the win turns out to be a costly one — and Minkah Fitzpatrick is the perfect person to serve as the jury for his peers, given that Fitzpatrick took his interception on the day back to the house.
This is all fun and games on the heels of a win. Had Miami lost and looked back longingly at those four points Miami could have had by way of a Douglas return for a score, it'd be a different story. Thankfully, that's not the world we live in.
Instead, we can marvel at an instinctive drive on the ball from Douglas to help steal points and flip the script of the close of Miami's first half effort against the Saints. Just don't expect Douglas to have any kind words for Saints offensive guard Dillon Radunz the next time he sees him. He, apparently, cost Douglas two grand! You'd like to think it's a price well worth a win nevertheless.
