CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers made life tough for quarterback Matthew Stafford and his offensive teammates six weeks ago, when the Los Angeles Rams visited Bank of America Stadium for a regular-season matchup.
Stafford came into Charlotte on a roll, having thrown 18 touchdowns in the Rams’ previous five games, and he hadn’t been picked off since the third week. The double-digit underdog Panthers forced three turnovers, though, and upset the Rams, 31-28.
And that was with Carolina’s defense missing four of its regular starters.
All four, including two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaycee Horn, have since returned and will play Saturday, when the Panthers (8-9) — who won the NFC South Division and are the conference’s No. 4 seed for the playoffs — host the fifth-seeded Rams (12-5) in a rematch for a spot in the divisional round.
Along with Horn, safety Tre’Von Moehrig and linebackers Claudin Cherelus and Christian Rozeboom are also set to play.