Matthew Stafford proves he is most dangerous 4th quarter quarterback

The Los Angeles Rams avoided the upset of all upsets. After a strong 14-0 start to the Wild Card Round matchup against the Carolina Panthers, Rams fans watched in horror as the lead evaporated. The Panthers came to life, and Bryce Young looked like the quarterback the Panthers dreamed of since drafting him first overall in 2023.

Luckily for the Rams, they had the NFL MVP favorite, a veteran quarterback named Matthew Stafford, on their side, who stepped up when they needed him most in crunch time.

After trailing 31-27 with just under three minutes remaining, Stafford orchestrated a seven-play, game-winning drive, culminating in a 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Colby Parkinson. That proved to be just enough for the Rams, as the defense did its part in ending the Panthers' chances, forcing a turnover on downs in just four plays.

It may not have been pretty for the Rams, but they can thank Stafford's fourth quarter heroics for helping them advance to the Divisional Round.

Matthew Stafford's fourth quarter heroics help Rams advance to Divisional Round.

One of the reasons why the Rams looked to be plummeting off of the proverbial cliff was that Stafford got hit in the finger earlier in the game, which affected his throws. It was a major reason why the Panthers remained in the game and eventually took the lead. But that all changed once the fourth quarter hit.

Stafford showed why he's one of the more dangerous fourth quarter quarterbacks in the game on Saturday. Stafford completed 12-of-15 pass attempts for 143 yards and two touchdowns. Stafford simply made the throws that needed to be made.

Stafford has made a career out of showing up in the fourth quarter and helping his team win. His most famous is in Super Bowl 56 against the Cincinnati Bengals to pick up the 23-20 victory. After this latest outing against the Panthers, Stafford now has 42 fourth-quarter comebacks in his career, including the regular season and the playoffs. His final drive, resulting in Parkinson's touchdown, is also his 54th game-winning drive.

The Rams avoided disaster, but showed why they were considered a dangerous team to play earlier in the season. That's all thanks to Stafford, who only made his NFL MVP case stronger on Saturday.