Carolina Panthers

The Rams currently hold the top seed for the NFC playoffs. Now their greatest challenge might be shutting out the distraction of being deemed a favorite to win the Super Bowl.

“Humility is only a day away,” coach Sean McVay said. “Our guys understand that.”

On Sunday the Rams will play a potential trap game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. The Panthers are 6-6 and coming off a 20-9 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

The Panthers are the Rams’ third NFC South opponent. The Rams already dispatched the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They play the struggling Falcons on Dec. 29 in Atlanta.

The Rams are 10-point favorites over the Panthers — and with good reason.

They have won six games in a row and scored at least 34 points in four of their last five games, including their 34-7 victory over the Buccaneers last Sunday at SoFi Stadium.

The Panthers feature quarterback Bryce Young, the top pick in the 2023 draft. Young has passed for 15 touchdowns with nine interceptions for a team that counts victories over the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys among its wins.

Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and outside linebackers coach AC Carter are former Rams assistants. The roster includes seven former Rams: defensive linemen Bobby Brown III and A’Shawn Robinson, offensive lineman Austin Corbett, cornerbacks Robert Rochell and David Long, linebacker Christian Rozeboom and safety Nick Scott.

The Rams welcomed back two key players from injured reserve, placed another player on the injured list and claimed a former player off waivers.

It made for a busy Wednesday as the Rams prepared to play the Carolina Panthers on Sunday in Charlotte, N.C.

The Rams, who are 9-2 and hold the No. 1 seed for the NFC playoffs, designated receiver Tutu Atwell and cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon to return from injured reserve. Atwell was sidelined four games because of a hamstring injury but coach Sean McVay said Atwell is expected to play against the Panthers.

Witherspoon has been out since suffering a broken collarbone in the second game of the season.

Cornerback Roger McCreary, acquired in an October trade with the Tennessee Titans, was placed on injured reserve after suffering a hip injury in the Rams’ victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. McCreary had been playing special teams, and he played only one defensive snap against the Buccaneers.

The Rams welcomed back cornerback Derion Kendrick, a 2022 sixth-round draft pick by the Rams, who was claimed off waivers from the Seattle Seahawks.

Kendrick started 18 games for the Rams before suffering a season-ending knee injury on the first day of training camp in 2024. He sat out last season, was released and re-signed before he was cut before the start of this season and claimed by the Seahawks.