Rams clinging to slim 17-14 lead over Panthers at halftime

The Los Angeles Rams lead the Carolina Panthers 17-14 at halftime in their wild card matchup. Despite being favored, the Rams face a resilient Panthers team that capitalized on key moments late in the half. A muffed punt by Trevor Etienne gave the Rams a chance to extend their lead, but a fourth-down pass from Matthew Stafford to Tyler Higbee was incomplete.

The Panthers responded with an 81-yard drive, highlighted by Bryce Young's 37-yard pass to Jalen Coker and a 16-yard touchdown run by Young. Stafford attempted a deep pass to Puka Nacua, but the receiver dropped the ball, leaving the score unchanged.

In the first half, Young completed 11 of 20 passes for 151 yards with one interception, while Stafford completed 10 of 17 for 137 yards and a touchdown. Nacua caught six passes for 63 yards and scored one touchdown on a backward pass from Stafford.

Injuries affected the Panthers' offensive line