By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Bryce Young completed 15 of 20 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns — two of them coming on fourth down — and the Carolina Panthers forced three turnovers by Matthew Stafford to beat Los Angeles 31-28 on Sunday and snap the Rams’ six-game winning streak.
The Panthers intercepted Stafford twice with Mike Jackson returning one for a 48-yard touchdown and ended the 37-year-old’s NFL record of 28 straight TD passes without an interception.
Derrick Brown, who tipped a ball resulting in one of Stafford’s first pick, came up with a key strip-sack with 2:25 left in the game to preserve the win.
The win allowed the Panthers to remain a half game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South. The Bucs held on to beat Arizona 20-17 on Sunday.
Stafford completed 18 of 28 passes for 243 yards with two touchdown passes to Davante Adams, his 13th and 14th of the season, for the Rams (9-3).
The Panthers (7-6), who had just one pass play of longer than 20 yards in a 20-9 loss to San Francisco on Monday night, got several key ones from Young on Sunday.
He connected on a 35-yard TD pass to Chuba Hubbard, a 33-yard TD strike to Jalen Coker and a 43-yard scoring toss to Tetairoa McMillan with 6:43 remaining that was the decisive score.
The Panthers used a strong running game to control the clock in the second half and keep Stafford and the high-powered offense off the field. Hubbard had 83 yards rushing from Rico Dowdle added 58.
The Panthers appeared to be in control entering the fourth quarter leading 24-21 and running the ball well.
But tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders was flagged for a key holding call deep in Rams territory and the Panthers drive halted resulting in a punt.
The Rams came alive on offense with Blake Corum escaping around right end for a 34-yard run. Puka Nacua then hauled in a dramatic leaping, one-handed 30-yard catch to set up a 7-yard TD run by Kyren Williams to give Los Angeles the lead.
But Carolina answered when McMillan got behind the Rams defense and hauled in his only catch of the game — a 43-yard touchdown from Young— on a fourth-and-2 play to give Carolina back the lead.
Earlier in the game, Young found Coker for a long score on a fourth-and-3.
Stafford passed Matt Ryan to move into eighth place all time in yards passing.
Stafford threw his NFL record 28th straight touchdown pass without an interception to Adams on the game’s opening possession to give the Rams a 7-0 lead, but on the second possession Brown tipped his pass and Nick Scott intercepted it in the end zone.
Injuries
Rams: Kyren Williams battled through an ankle injury, but stayed in the game.
Panthers: None reported
Up next
Saints: At Arizona on Sunday.
Panthers: Have a bye next weekend, then play at New Orleans on Dec. 14.