Nobody knows anything, at least not when it comes to the Carolina Panthers and what they’re capable of in any given week. They might get blown out by the very worst team in the NFL, or they might upset the very best. There’s really no telling which team will show up.
Unfortunately for the Los Angeles Rams, it was the latter on Sunday – as the Panthers were in a feisty mood after a week of being told by the media that they couldn’t possibly upset LA.
They didn’t get off to a great start, falling behind 7-0 on a humiliatingly fast opening scoring drive for the Rams, but after that they got the ship right and kept on battling until the end, finishing with Bryce Young’s 11th career game winning drive.
Thanks to this latest stunning upset, Carolina has taken another big jump in the weekly NFL power rankings from Sportsnaut. They’re now ranked No. 17, up three spots from last week.
Panthers 17th in power rankings
“What a fitting win in Week 13 that embodies this season for the Carolina Panthers. A heavy underdog at home versus Los Angeles, the Panthers defense delivered three takeaways that changed everything. We also have to give credit to Bryce Young, who rebounded nicely after a disastrous performance in San Francisco. If Carolina could build upon this performance coming out of the bye, it would have a good shot at winning the NFC South.”
Nov 30, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive end Derrick Brown (95) looks on after the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium. | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
With Jaycee Horn out, the Panthers got some surprise performances from their secondary, including a pick-six from Mike Jackson and a breakout game from Lathan Ransom.
In the trenches, Derrick Brown was terrifically disruptive, setting up two critical turnovers. On the other side, a shorthanded offensive line helped keep Bryce Young clean against a lethal Rams pass rush, only allowing two sacks.
Jalen Coker, Chuba Hubbard and even JT Sanders did their part (even though he got flagged for it), but the most encouraging thing was the performance from Bryce Young.
While he came out flat against the 49ers the previous week, Young has now put up two marvelous performances in his last three games – this one coming against the team with the top scoring defense in the league and in the harshest possible conditions.
If Young can only carry over the confidence he builds from this game, it might represent a turning point not just for his career – but for the entire franchise.
Nov 30, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales celebrates with Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) after the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium. | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
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