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Derrick Brown sends defiant message to media after Panthers' stunning win

The Carolina Panthers’ best defensive player made it extremely clear that his team was given little chance to surprise the first-place Los Angeles Rams.
Russell Baxter|
Nov 30, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) is sacked by Carolina Panthers defensive end Derrick Brown (95) during the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
Nov 30, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) is sacked by Carolina Panthers defensive end Derrick Brown (95) during the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

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Carolina Panthers

It looked like a mismatch. Despite the fact that the improved Carolina Panthers owned a respectable 6-6 record after 12 games, they were coming off a listless 20-9 Monday night loss at San Francisco. On Sunday, Dave Canales’s club hosted the NFC West-leading Los Angeles Rams, who were on a six-game winning streak—outscoring those teams by a combined 183-72 count.

On Sunday, Sean McVay’s team wasted little time getting on the board. A short six-play, 35-yard drive resulted in a Matthew Stafford-to-Davante Adams four-yard TD pass. The Rams owned a 7-0 lead just over two minutes into the game.

When it was all said and done, McVay’s team wound up in a dogfight with an inspired bunch of cats. The team that ran the ball a season-low 13 times vs. the 49ers totaled a season-best 40 attempts. That was good for 164 yards, the second-most allowed by the Rams this season. Quarterback Bryce Young connected for three touchdown passes, each covering 30-plus yards, and the Panthers played turnover-free football in a thrilling 31-28 win.

Carolina’s defensive leader talked about his club’s resilience, which has shown up again and again this season.

Don’t be fooled by the fact that Ejiro Evero’s defense gave up four touchdowns and 379 total yards. That unit came up with numerous big plays. Stafford entered the game with 30 touchdown passes, had turned over the ball just four times in 11 outings and hadn’t thrown an interception in eight consecutive games.

The Panthers picked him off twice in the first quarter. Cornerback Mike Jackson’s 48-yard interception return for a score in the first quarter gave Carolina a 14-7 lead that changed the feel of the game. Before that, safety Nick Scott intercepted Stafford in the end zone to thwart a Rams’ touchdown drive.

However, it was Brown who delivered the decisive blow. He sacked Stafford with less than three minutes and forced a fumble that was recovered by teammate D.J. Wonnum. The Rams never saw the ball again and the upset was complete.

The Panthers are 6-3 since that aforementioned 1-3 start. It’s been a rollercoaster ride as of late, but Canales’s club heads into its off week on a major high.

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Russell Baxter
RUSSELL BAXTER

Russell S. Baxter has been writing and researching the game of football for more than 40 years, and on numerous platforms. That includes television, as he spent more than two decades at ESPN, and was part of shows that garnered five Emmy Awards. He also spent the 2015 NFL season with Thursday Night Football on CBS/NFLN.