Wide receiver Ben Skowronek scored on a 17-yard run in the final seconds of the third quarter to help lift the Los Angeles Rams past the visiting Carolina Panthers 24-10 on Sunday.
Darrell Henderson Jr. scored on a 2-yard run midway through the fourth quarter as the Rams (3-3) picked up 232 of their 360 total yards after halftime.
The Panthers (1-5) were brutal on offense in their first game under interim coach Steve Wilks after Monday’s firing of Matt Rhule. Their only touchdown came on an interception return.
Matthew Stafford threw for 253 yards on 26-for-33 passing with a touchdown and an interception for the Rams.
Starting quarterback P.J. Walker was 10-for-16 for 60 yards for Carolina. Christian McCaffrey led the Panthers in rushing (69 yards on 13 carries) and receiving (89 yards on seven catches).
The Panthers managed just 203 yards of total offense and eight first downs.
Cooper Kupp had 80 receiving yards on seven catches for the Rams. Stafford had been sacked 21 times this season entering the game but was taken down just once by the Panthers.
Donte Jackson returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown that provided the Panthers with a 10-7 lead with 1:58 to play in the first half.
Los Angeles used 12 plays to go 87 yards in the third quarter, but settled for Matt Gay’s 21-yard field goal to tie the score.
Skowronek’s touchdown came on an end-around. It was his only carry of the game. He also caught five passes for 40 yards.
Carolina opened the scoring on Eddy Pineiro’s 42-yard field goal. McCaffrey accounted for 58 of Carolina’s 61 total yards on the drive.
The Rams went up 10-7 on Stafford’s 5-yard toss to Allen Robinson, but Stafford threw his pick-6 less than two minutes later.
The Rams lost left tackle Joe Noteboom to a second-quarter injury. He was the only Los Angeles starter along the offensive line who also started in the Super Bowl victory to end last season.
–Field Level Media