CHARLOTTE — The Panthers (6-6) are back on the East Coast this week and in the friendly confines of Bank of America Stadium to face the top team in the NFC, the Los Angeles Rams (9-2). This would be a tough matchup regardless, given the potency of the Rams offense, and the fact LA's scoring defense is top of the league. But the Panthers are coming off a short week that started with a loss against the 49ers.

However, Carolina hasn't lost back-to-back games since Week 2.

"Our process and just the belief that we're trying to find our best football," said coach Dave Canales as to the mindset. "And making sure that we compartmentalize each game, win or lose.

"Our pursuit is to have continual growth fundamentally, and especially from a scheme standpoint."

To do it this week will take everything they've got, particularly as they're shorthanded on defense. How does the secondary and run defense respond? Can the run game find its footing again? What does Bryce Young do? All that and more headline our five things to watch in Sunday's Week 13 matchup against the Rams.

What does the run game look like?

After the 49ers' loss, Dave Canales took a lot of responsibility for the fact that Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard only had nine rushes between them.

"Offensively, just could not get our rhythm going, and really, it just started off with the run game. I have to make sure that comes alive," Canales said on Tuesday. "That's a part of who we are. It's what we believe in, and we have two great backs that contribute to this team. The offensive line was blocking well, and that was a missed opportunity by me, and I'll do better in that regard."

Dowdle averaged 6.3 yards a carry, and Hubbard picked up 5.3 yards per rush. After the game, Canales talked to the team and Dowdle privately, owning up to his role as the play caller, getting away from the run too quickly, and reaffirming a commitment to that part of the game moving forward.

"The film speaks for itself, what we've been able to accomplish in the run game this year," Dowdle said. "This is a great coach. A lot of coaches don't; they won't take that ownership or things like that. But every time, it's been the outcome of what it's been; he's come in, and he's taken ownership, and we had to take our ownership from our end as players as well. So, great player-coach relationship."

The Rams' defense is 13th in the league, allowing an average of 102.7 yards per game. Where they are slightly more susceptible is in missed tackles. The group is eighth in the league (133) and ninth in missed tackle percentage (24.6 percent). Dowdle is ninth in the league amongst running backs for most yards gained off of missed tackles (262 yards).

For him to work his way into the open field, though, he—and Hubbard—need to have the ball.

"I think that's the part that I can take accountability for, is making sure that it's a part of it throughout the process, throughout the game," said Canales. "It gives us great balance, and I love to give the ball to Rico. I love to give the ball to Chuba, so that they can make an impact on the game in their own way."

How does the run defense adjust without Tre'von Moehrig?

The defense took a hit in recent weeks due to injuries and a suspension. Now the run defense will have to take on Kyren Williams and the Rams without their top-two tacklers: hard-hitting safety Tre'von Moehrig and inside linebacker Christian Rozeboom. The veteran safety was suspended for one game by the commissioner for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Moehrig is the Panthers' second-leading tackler (81 tackles) and was second among all safeties in run stops (creating a negative play on a rush for the offense) with 23.

In his place, the Panthers will lean more on Lathan Ransom and Demani Richardson. Recently acquired Isaiah Simmons also remains a possibility. He was added to the practice squad this week and can play both linebacker and safety.

"(At) safety, we'll have our three, and then Isaiah Simmons, we plan on bringing him; he'll be helping out on special teams, and he's been in the meetings just ready to go if we need him," shared Canales.

The Panthers' leading tackler, Rozeboom (91 tackles), will miss his second straight week with a hip and hamstring injury. Claudin Cherelus also left Monday's game with a concussion and remains in the protocol. Krys Barnes, who started Monday's game alongside Cherelus, was officially signed from the practice squad to the 53-man roster this week, after using his three practice squad elevations.

The Panthers will get a huge boost in the middle of the defense, though, with the return of Trevin Wallace. The play caller and big tackler, who had 52 tackles with four for loss and 2.0 sacks when he was injured in Week 10, practiced as a full participant all week. The Panthers expect him to play on Sunday, returning their signal caller.

"I feel good, body feel good, shoulder feel good," Wallace listed this week of how he's improved. "That's just the main concern is the shoulder. So hopefully I get to play Sunday.

"I feel like me and Krys, I feel like we're going to do all right. We're going to be all right because we clicked when he got here. We were really cool, and I feel like chemistry don't really start on the field, it starts off the field, so we had great chemistry off the field. So now we put it together on the field, just play off of each other."

How does the secondary adjust without Jaycee Horn?

The middle of the field isn't the only place that will seem bereft this week. Jaycee Horn remains in concussion protocol and, therefore, is sidelined for Sunday's game. The Panthers will turn to Akayleb Evans more, as well as moving nickel Chau Smith-Wade to the outside at times. It's a position the defensive back hasn't played a ton of since coming to the NFL, but it was his primary position in college.

Those years of experience, peppered with the few times he has played outside in the league, give Canales and staff confidence in his ability to do so again Sunday if needed.

"You work through it at the same time. He's got a lot of reps out there, a lot of time on task with his eyes on the edge and playing that way. So, trusting in that part of it," said Canales.

"And then of course just throughout the course of the season, throughout the course of camp, he's been out there and done different things, so it's not strictly in his nickel role. And so, really counting on him to just come and help his teammates out, and he'll be ready to go."

Whoever is out there gets a tough task in defending two of the best in the league: Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.

Nacua is the Rams' leading receiver with 947 yards (and fourth in the league overall) and gets a lot of the team's yards going down the field. He has run 45 percent of his routes as in-breaking, which is the eighth-most in the league amongst qualifying receivers (minimum 175 routes).

Then, once Los Angeles is in the red zone, Adams takes over. He leads all receivers in the entire NFL with 12 touchdowns.

"You can't deny that," defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero said this week, of the disproportionate numbers. And how it might mean playing the two guys. "They're both great out on the field, and then certainly they've seemed to feature Davante more in the red zone, so we'll certainly be aware of that."

Adams has caught eight touchdowns when facing press coverage this season; only one other receiver (Marvin Harrison Jr., with four) has even half as many touchdowns as Adams. Adams' six touchdowns from the goal line (inside the 3-yard line) are also at four, more than any other receiver this season.

Can the pass rush get to Matthew Stafford?

As Evero and defensive players noted all week, it's hard to throw anything at Matthew Stafford these days that would surprise the 17-year veteran. But, to quote Dave Canales, "You could, you should, we should try to in different ways."

It will be easier said than done. Stafford gets rid of the ball so quickly that defenses don't even get a chance to confuse him, much less sack him, since he's rarely leaving the pocket.

He's taken only 15 sacks, which is the fourth-fewest among qualifying quarterbacks (who have thrown at least 250 passes this season), and has the best touchdown-to-interception ratio in the NFL with a 30-2 mark.

"He's distributing the ball well to a bunch of different wide receivers, and he's playing great football," complimented Canales. "He's getting the ball out fast, and he's going through his progressions. He has a group that he really trusts, and so we have to lean in on what they've been doing lately and make sure that we have solutions for that in our coverages and be aware of how they're trying to attack."

Against the Bucs in Week 12, Stafford completed 22 of his 27 passes from a clean pocket, throwing for 243 yards and three touchdowns. Throughout the season, the vet has thrown 24 touchdowns against the blitz, more than double that of any other quarterback, while not throwing a single interception.

The Panthers have blitzed on 27.2 percent of opposing dropbacks, close to the league average of 28.3 percent. They've allowed a 44.5 percent success rate when blitzing, 14th-lowest in the NFL.

"Boy, who (Stafford) is, yeah, I mean just when you think about all the traits that you want from an elite quarterback, intelligent, he's got a great arm, he's got the experience now, obviously," said Evero. "And then I think probably his strongest trait is that the guy doesn't flinch under pressure or under pressure, and so he's going to stand in there, he's going to take the hits, he's going to deliver the ball, and, so, yeah, immense amount of respect for him."

How do Bryce Young and his receivers bounce back?

In Week 11, Bryce Young had the game of his life, and for that matter, the game of any Panthers' quarterback of all time, throwing for a franchise record 448 yards as the Panthers beat the Falcons.

Then, against the 49ers, the offense stuttered to a halt, never able to get the run or pass game going and running a mere 43 plays for 230 total yards. Sunday, even against a Rams defense that is holding teams to 208.5 passing yards per game, is a day to respond.

"It just boils down to execution," said Young this week. "Obviously, it goes week to week; you've got to be able to turn the page, whether it's good or bad. We have all the guys in there with the right mindset. It's just execution.

"I think, first, just growing that identity, all of us, especially as a younger unit. But now everyone's pros, everyone's embraced it, there's no excuse for us not to be consistent, so that's just the challenge for us. At the end of the day, we want to do whatever it takes to win. Obviously pass game helps out the run game, helps out the explosives, helps out the team, so we're working to be more consistent there."

One of the best ways the Panthers have found success in the pass game this season is when Young is able to work outside the pocket, evading pressure and receivers making themselves available.

According to Next Gen Stats, Young has thrown for 746 yards under pressure this season, the fourth-most in the NFL, and has the fifth-highest success rate (37.1 percent) among qualified quarterbacks when pressured.

The Rams have generated pressure on 35.2 percent of opposing dropbacks this season, the 11th-highest rate in the NFL.

Getting around that pressure this week will mean avoiding Jared Verse and Byron Young. Together, the duo has 15.0 sacks up front.

"Both guys, and then they have a good rotation also behind them," noted Canales this week.

"But Jared Verse packs a punch. He's got a lot of power on the edge. He's disruptive, he'll fool you, and he'll jump around at times, so you just have to make sure that you keep your feet in the ground.

"And that's the biggest thing, is feet in the ground, get your hands on early; ball snaps, hands got to be on because this is a really shifty, movement style of front. And then of course just their pass rush, they're relentless, and he looks for his opportunities, and I appreciate the style of play."

If Young can get the ball out quickly this week, it will likely be to his favorite target this season, Tetairoa McMillan. The rookie, who is 11th in the league with 783 yards, has 407 of those yards on intermediate throws (10-19 air yards) this season, the second-most in the NFL, trailing only Jaxon Smith-Njigba (419). McMillan's 36 targets in this range are tied with Justin Jefferson for second-most in the NFL, trailing only Davante Adams (37).

Doing so against the Rams will mean negating Emmanuel Forbes. Against the Bucs on Sunday night, the corner did not allow a single reception on his 33 coverage snaps, despite being targeted seven times.

No other defender has been targeted as many times in a game without allowing a reception this season. Forbes also forced four tight window targets ( less than 1 yard of separation) and had a career-high five passes defensed.