NFL Week 1 PFF ReFocused: Los Angeles Rams 30, Carolina Panthers 27

The Los Angeles Rams held on in Week 1 of the 2019 NFL season, ending the game with a 30-27 win over the Carolina Panthers.

PFF's ReFocused series features immediate takeaways from the two analysts who graded the game live. The two offer a detailed breakdown of the game's most notable performances before the grades and advanced stats are reviewed and finalized by Senior Analysts.

All of PFF's grades and advanced stats from this game and the other games played this week will be finalized and made available to ELITE subscribers within 24 hours of the final whistle. ELITE subscribers can view player grades, advanced statistics, positional snap counts and more in Premium Stats.

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Final Score

Los Angeles Rams 30, Carolina Panthers 27

Los Angeles Rams

The Rams' passing game started off hot, but it struggled down the stretch and that ultimately kept the Panthers in the game. Jared Goff seemed to struggle under pressure as he missed a number of open targets when his protection collapsed.

Aaron Donald had a quiet game, but Dante Fowler caused problems all game long. He picked up two sacks and showed good bend off the edge.

This was a tale of two halves for the offensive line. The first half was a huge struggle, especially for center Brian Allen and right tackle Rob Havenstein, but the zone-running game settled them down in the second half as the team's running back committee took advantage of cutback lanes.

Carolina Panthers

It was a rough day for Cam Newton, who struggled with his accuracy all day. He regularly overthrew and threw behind his receivers when he could have easily picked up a first down with an accurate throw.

Christian McCaffery was by far the best player on the Panthers' offense. He showed great ability on the ground, gaining extra yards through contact as well as making defenders miss. He was also a valuable weapon in the receiving game and made plays both out of the backfield and from out wide.

Rookie takeaway

The Panthers have a formidable defensive line, and they were able to take advantage of the depth in this one. First-round pick Brian Burns notched a number of wins as a pass-rusher as the Rams struggled with his speed off the edge.