Can the Carolina Panthers upset L.A. Rams? Our predictions, best bets, TV channel
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Rams travel to Charlotte as 10.5-point favorites; game airs on FOX at 1 p.m.
- Panthers sit at 6-6 and likely need at least 3 wins in final 5 games to reach playoffs.
- Rams boast NFL MVP candidate Matt Stafford, elite passing corps and stingy defense.
The Carolina Panthers have stunned a Super Bowl contender before this season, when they went into Lambeau Field and hammered their way to a 16-13 win over the Green Bay Packers.
And maybe this one isn’t all that different.
It sure feels that way, though.
The Panthers (6-6) will host the Los Angeles Rams (9-2) at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on Sunday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
The Panthers have five games left to prove worthy of a playoff spot, and it’s likely they’ll need at least three wins to claim the NFC South crown and an automatic bid in the playoffs. And they’ll have their hands full with the Rams, particularly if trends sustain from their showing against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football — a game that saw quarterback Bryce Young throw two interceptions, the offense only wring out three points from the defense’s three first-half takeaways and special teams falling flat again.
The Rams, meanwhile, are trending in the other direction. They would be the NFC’s No. 1 overall playoff seed if the postseason began today. They’ve won their last six games — their last loss was against the 49ers, too, coincidentally — and are firing on every cylinder imaginable. That starts with quarterback Matthew Stafford, a serious NFL MVP contender who entered Week 13’s slate of games fifth in passing yards (2,830), first in passer rating (113.7) and first in passing touchdowns (30). That also goes for Davante Adams, who leads the league in receiving touchdowns, and Puka Nacua, who entered Week 13’s games third in receiving yards. The Rams also have one of the least expensive defenses in the league — and yet still only give up 16.3 points per game (best in the NFL) and only allow a 35.33% third-down conversion rate (fourth in the league), according to Team Rankings. They also average 1.8 takeaways a game (second in the league).
So who will win?
Below is a one-stop shop for everything you should know about the Panthers’ Week 13 game. That includes game predictions from Observer reporters Mike Kaye and Alex Zietlow, as well as columnist Scott Fowler.
How to watch, stream, follow Panthers-Rams
Fans can catch this one on FOX, with Adam Amin on the play-by-play, Drew Brees as the analyst and Kristina Pink as the sideline reporter.
The game will also be broadcast on radio on WRFX The Fox (99.7 FM in Charlotte), National Radio (SportsUSA) and Spanish Radio (WXNC 97.3 FM, 1060 AM). Check the Carolina Panthers Radio Network for local listings.
What sportsbooks are saying about Carolina-Los Angeles matchup
The Panthers, unsurprisingly, are 10.5-point underdogs against the Rams, according to FanDuel Sportsbook on Sunday morning. Rams moneyline has a payout of -670, with Panthers moneyline at +490. The over/under on the game is 45.5.
Carolina is now 7-5 against the spread this season. The Rams are 8-3 against the spread.
Here are some additional bets that you might find intriguing:
- Matthew Stafford — Interception. Stay away from this one. Stafford has thrown 27 touchdowns since his last pick, and while the Panthers picked off Brock Purdy three times last week, their defense will be down a couple of playmakers, including a few in the secondary. Plus, the odds aren’t that fun: only +134 for if Stafford throws an INT; only -176 if he doesn’t.
- Jalen Coker — Touchdown Scorer. Why not? The Panthers have been trying to incorporate their second-year receiver more and more into the offense, and this could be the week he breaks through. Also? We love the lines: +390 for an anytime touchdown, +2200 for the first touchdown, +1500 for the last touchdown.
- Rico Dowdle — Scoring Two-Plus Touchdowns. The Panthers have always been able to course correct after difficult losses this season. And that likely means they’ll give Dowdle more opportunities after he only ran the ball six times Monday. Seems like a fun play. FanDuel, too, is offering +800 odds.
The Observer’s predictions: Any Panthers upset in sight?
Alex Zietlow did not squander his opportunity to capture sole possession of the worst record among the trio of predictors last week when he chose the Panthers to win. He’s now at 3-9 on the season. Mike Kaye is slightly ahead of him, at 4-8, with Scott Fowler enjoying a pretty much unchallenged lead at 8-4. See our predictions below.
Fowler: Rams 27, Panthers 13. This is the wrong game to try to get well against for the Panthers, who after their MNF flop are running into a buzz saw of a team that is playing as well as anyone in the NFL. QB Matthew Stafford has my vote (if I had one) for the NFL MVP so far this season and has thrown 27 touchdown passes since flinging his last interception. That’s thoroughly ridiculous, and Stafford vs. Bryce Young in this one feels like a major mismatch.
Kaye: Rams 31, Panthers 16. Los Angeles is an offensive juggernaut that doesn’t turn the ball over. Carolina, meanwhile, is likely to be without a third of its starters on defense. Not a great recipe for the home cooking.
Zietlow: Rams 35, Panthers 20. The Panthers are overmatched in every phase but special teams in this one, and Matthew Stafford is the heavy favorite for MVP, and the Rams have won their last six games by an average margin of 20 points, and they have an underpaid but good defense, and Davante Adams is in vintage form, and Sean McVay is a genius and — let’s just stop there. The Panthers have dethroned a legitimate Super Bowl contender before this season; see Week 9 in Green Bay. But that won’t happen this week. The Panthers will enter their bye week 6-7, likely needing to win three of their final four to have a shot at the NFC South crown.
This story was originally published November 30, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
