The Carolina Panthers weren’t supposed to beat the Los Angeles Rams, today. They weren’t even supposed to come close, as practically ever expert predicted a Rams win and the oddsmakers had them favored by double-digits.
The Panthers decided they didn’t care, and they played their most-complete game of the season offensively en route to a shocking upset win by a score of 31-28.
Here are the studs and duds for Carolina’s stunning Week 13 victory.
Stud: DT Derrick Brown
Panthers superstar Derrick Brown set the tone early by deflecting a pass by Matt Stafford in the red zone that got picked off by Nick Scott, ending an all-time streak by Stafford with 28 touchdowns in a row with no interceptions. That seemed to wake the rest of the team up, setting up a surprisingly competitive game. Later, Brown came through with a huge strip-sack on Stafford at a critical moment in the fourth quarter.
Stud: CB Mike Jackson
Overmatched and underappreciated, Mike Jackson made a statement on the very next drive, stepping in front of a pass to the flat by Stafford and bringing it all the way back for a touchdown. That’s the first career pick-six for Jackson.
Stud: S Lathan Ransom
One of many surprising strong performances for Carolina today came from rookie safety Lathan Ransom, who played at a level we’d gotten not even a whiff of before this week. Ransom posted a sack and made several bone-jarring stops on his way to a game-high 11 total tackles.
Dud: Panthers pass rush
Carolina’s defense got a lot of pleasant surprises today, but one thing that didn’t change is their ongoing total inability to get to the quarterback. It’s frankly remarkable that the Panthers are as competitive in as many games as they are considering how little they produce in this department. Stafford took just two sacks on two quarterback hits the whole game.
Stud: RB Chuba Hubbard
It’s been a long time since we saw Chuba Hubbard’s name in the studs category, but he earned it today. Hubbard’s 35-yard catch and run touchdown on a swing pass from Bryce Young in the first quarter was the first high-impact play he’s made all year. Hubbard kept producing throughout the afternoon, ending with 83 rushing yards on 17 carries (4.9 per attempt).
Nov 30, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (30) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium. | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
Dud: RB Rico Dowdle
While Hubbard was having a long overdue breakout game, his backfield partner Rico Dowdle was unable to really get going for the fourth straight week. Dowdle was limited on the ground, managing just 58 yards on 18 carries (3.2 yards per attept).
Stud: QB Bryce Young
Bryce Young bounced back from his awful Monday night game against the San Francisco 49ers, looking sharp against the Rams’ top-ranked scoring defense from start to finish. Young was crisp and accurate throwing the ball, going 15/20 for 206 yards and no picks with a 147.1 passer rating. He also got the chance to show off his under-utilized legs, chipping in a 24-yard run.
Stud: WR Jalen Coker
It took him a while, but Jalen Coker finally scored his first touchdown of the season, reeling in a beautiful deep ball from Bryce Young in the middle of the third quarter against tight coverage. Coker made several other big plays, too. He ended up finishing with a line of four catches on six targets for 74 yards, a TD and the game-clinching first down reception.
Nov 30, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker (18) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium. | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
– Enjoy more free Panthers coverage with Carolina Panthers on SI –
Derrick Brown hustle helps end incredible 10-week streak by Matt Stafford
Chuba Hubbard finally makes his first impact play for Panthers in 2025
Arch Manning among 3 potential Bryce Young replacements in 2026 draft
Analyst states the obvious about Rico Dowdle and the Carolina Panthers