One NFL writer thinks the Carolina Panthers will lose to the Los Angeles Rams.
The Carolina Panthers are in the NFL playoffs for the first time since the 2017 season.
Despite going 8-9 in the regular season, the Panthers won the NFC South and will host the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round.
It's been a solid season for Carolina in Year 2 of the Dave Canales, but NFL writer Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report thinks this "great story" will get against Los Angeles.
"Yes, the Carolina Panthers are a great story as NFC South champions and in the playoffs for the first time since 2017," Davenport wrote. "Yes, they beat the Rams in Charlotte in Week 13. However, the Rams are just a considerably better team on both sides of the ball.
"When they have had Davante Adams on the field, the offense has shown flashes of lethal efficiency. Their young front seven should be able to put pressure on Panthers quarterback Bryce Young. The Rams also have far more postseason experience than Carolina. Neither team is firing on all cylinders entering the playoffs, but with Adams likely to return for this contest and the Rams coming off a decisive win over Arizona, L.A. will avenge its earlier defeat and win by double digits."
The Panthers were 27th in the NFL in points per game and 15th in points per game allowed in the regular season.
Meanwhile, the Rams were first in points per game and 10th in points per game allowed.
Even though Carolina beat Los Angeles in Week 13, it would shock many people around the league if Bryce Young outplays Matthew Stafford again.
Canales, though, is looking forward to the game.
"It's an opportunity to correct some things that we wanted to correct and try to replicate things that were successful for us," Canales said of the benefit in facing an opponent already seen this season. "It gives you a little bit of familiarity and confidence to know, 'OK, this is a team that we've seen before, we've played them tough.'"