Los Angeles quarterback Matthew Stafford had thrown 28 passes and been hit by the Carolina Panthers once on Sunday when he dropped back from the Rams 22-yard line facing a three-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
That’s when Stafford got hit for the second time, and this time, Panthers defensive end Derrick Brown knocked the football out of the veteran quarterback’s hands. Carolina recovered and ran out the clock on a 31-28 victory.
“It kind of developed,” Brown said of his strip-sack. “Coming around, (defensive end Tershawn Wharton) getting high, forcing the quarterback to step up in the pocket. Coming around, seeing (outside linebacker) D.J. (Wonnum) take the inside move and then watching everything go down. Just came around and seeing him standing there and try to go get it.”
The Rams entered the game with the NFC’s best record at 9-2 and had won six games in a row. The Panthers were 6-6 and coming off a 20-9 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night.
“Nobody gave us a shot all week, right?” Brown said. “So, I mean, everybody within this locker room, it’s been that way since we were one and three and everybody was like, ‘Here we go again.’ And for us to be able to sit in here and be able to have that resilience just to come to work every single day and put our best foot forward and go out here and try to win these games. I mean, that’s what it’s been from Day 1 when we showed up at OTAs. Many people didn’t see the vision, but we knew if we just keep working, we’ll have opportunities.”
With the score tied 7-7 in the first quarter, Brown tipped a pass by Stafford with Los Angeles at the Carolina 8-yard line, and safety Nick Scott intercepted the football in the end zone. Stafford hadn’t been intercepted since Sept. 21.
“There’s a resilience and depth of character with Derrick where he’s not concerned with what’s happening on the other side of the ball,” Carolina coach Dave Canales said. “And when the offense might be struggling for a series or two, you’re going to get the same Derrick Brown regardless whatever the score is. We’re up or down, you’re going to get the same Derrick Brown.
“And that’s what I love to point to for the whole group. Like guys, let’s just continue to do our job well. Let’s continue to empty the tank every time you’re out there on the field, whether it’s in practice or the games, and that’s what continues to show up for Derrick.”
Brown was among the 16 former Auburn players who got on the field on the 13th Sunday of the NFL’s 106th season.
Two other former Auburn players were involved in the Los Angeles-Carolina game:
Rams running back Jarquez Hunter was designated as a game-day inactive.
Rams cornerback Roger McCreary (Williamson) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
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In the other Sunday games:
San Francisco 49ers 26, Cleveland Browns 8
Browns linebacker Eugene Asante is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
Browns tight end Sal Cannella is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
Houston Texans 20, Indianapolis Colts 16
Texans defensive tackle Marlon Davidson (Greenville) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
Braden Smith started at right offensive tackle for the Colts.
Miami Dolphins 21, New Orleans Saints 17
Dolphins linebacker K.J. Britt (Oxford) did not record any stats.
New York Jets 27, Atlanta Falcons 24
Jets defensive tackle Byron Cowart is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
Jamien Sherwood started at linebacker for the Jets. Sherwood made four tackles and broke up one pass.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20, Arizona Cardinals 17
Jamel Dean started at cornerback for the Buccaneers. Dean made three tackles and broke up one pass.
Buccaneers defensive tackle Jayson Jones (Calera) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
Cardinals inside linebacker Owen Pappoe did not record any stats.
Jacksonville Jaguars 25, Tennessee Titans 3
Titans linebacker Dorian Mausi did not record any stats.
Jaguars linebacker Jalen McLeod is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
Jaguars offensive tackle Kilian Zierer is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
Seattle Seahawks 26, Minnesota Vikings 0
Seahawks outside linebacker Derick Hall made one tackle.
Vikings linebacker Austin Keys made one tackle on special teams.
Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett (Jackson) made two tackles on special teams.
Los Angeles Chargers 31, Las Vegas Raiders 14
Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson made two extra points.
Chargers long snapper Josh Harris handled the snaps for four extra points, two punts and one field goal.
Raiders wide receiver Shedrick Jackson (Hoover) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
Chargers wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith was designated as a game-day inactive.
Raiders defensive tackle JJ Pegues made one tackle.
Buffalo Bills 26, Pittsburgh Steelers 7
Steelers offensive tackle Jack Driscoll is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
Denver Broncos 27, Washington Commanders 26 (OT)
Commanders quarterback Noah Igbinoghene (Hewitt-Trussville) made six tackles and broke up one pass.
Jonathan Jones started at cornerback for the Commanders. Jones made six tackles.
Bo Nix (Pinson Valley) started at quarterback for the Broncos. Nix completed 29-of-45 passes for 321 yards with one touchdown and one interception and ran twice for 16 yards. Nix had an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Courtland Sutton as Denver took a 13-7 lead with 23 seconds left in the first half.
RELATED: BRONCOS QB BO NIX AFTER OVERTIME VICTORY: ‘PRESSURE IS A PRIVILEGE’
Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham dressed for the game but did not play.
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Week 13 started on Thursday, when the Green Bay Packers defeated the Detroit Lions 31-24, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 31-28 and the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Baltimore Ravens 32-14, and continued on Friday, when the Chicago Bears defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 24-15.
Week 13 concludes on Monday, when the New York Giants and New England Patriots square off at 7:15 p.m. CDT at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. ESPN will televise the game.