CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Kurt Warner could not be returning at a better time.

Warner will be back to run the most prolific offense in football on Sunday as the suddenly struggling St. Louis Rams look to avenge one of their earlier defeats this season when they battle the Carolina Panthers in an NFC West matchup.

Warner has missed the last five games with a broken pinky on his throwing hand. He sustained the injury on October 22 against Kansas City when he mishandled a snap by center Steve Everitt in the second quarter.

The Rams went 2-3 in Warner's absence with Trent Green running the high-powered offense, and fell into a first-place tie with the New Orleans Saints.

Not including the Kansas City game, the Rams averaged 42 points per game in Warner's first six starts. The club averaged 28 points per contest in Green's five starts.

Before he was injured, Warner picked up where he left off in 1999, when he became the NFL's most improbable Most Valuable Player after competing in the Arena League. He has an NFL-best 111.6 passer rating and has completed nearly 70 percent of his passes for 2,260 yards and 17 touchdowns with eight interceptions.

With a chance to open up some breathing room atop the West, the Rams suffered their most disappointing loss of the season last Sunday against the Saints, dropping a 31-24 decision.

The Rams have racked up an NFL-high 436 points this season, but their defense continues to be in shambles and has allowed more than 30 points six times. They rank 27th in the league in total defense.

St. Louis has lost consecutive games and is trying to avoid its first three-game losing streak since dropping four in a row from November 15-December 3, 1998.

In what has been a disappointing season, the Panthers had one of their most impressive showings on Monday night against the Green Bay Packers and rolled to a 31-14 victory.

Rookie Brad Hoover, making his second straight start, rushed for a season-high 117 yards in the victory. Hoover has been starting in place of Tim Biakabutuka, who has been sidelined with a toe injury.

Carolina also was impressive against the Rams in St. Louis on November 5, posting a surprising 27-24 victory. In addition to missing Warner, the Rams also were without star running back Marshall Faulk, who missed that contest with a knee injury.

Joe Nedney kicked a 46-yard field goal with 46 seconds remaining as Carolina ended the Rams' 12-game winning streak against NFC West Division teams. Green passed for a career-high 431 yards in that game but it was not enough.

Returning to Ericsson Stadium has to be a special feeling for the Rams, who clinched the NFC West title here last December 5 with a 34-21 victory.

Carolina leads the all-time series, 6-5.