The Panthers are heading north with a chance to keep building after last week’s 34-3 dismantling of the Falcons, and this matchup with the 1-1 Browns sets up as another spot where Carolina can keep pressing forward.
Cleveland helped Carolina’s cause by going on the road and upsetting the Buccaneers, which left Tampa Bay and Atlanta both sitting at 0-2. If Carolina can handle business in Week 3, the Panthers would finish the week with a winning record for the first time since 2021, when they opened 3-0 and ended up 5-12.
That’s the backdrop for a game Carolina is expected to win, and the early edge may come from the defense again. The Panthers started fast against Atlanta and could do the same here, with Devin Lloyd, Jaycee Horn, or Mike Jackson all in play to make a big first-half play.
One of them is going to read Deshaun Watson, take it away, and return it for a touchdown. That kind of turnover could push Cleveland into a quarterback change, with Shedeur Sanders coming in to try to give the Browns offense a spark.
On offense, Tetairoa McMillan looks lined up for his first touchdown of the season. He still hasn’t reached the end zone, but Week 2 showed how central he is to the passing game, finishing with 10 targets. Brad Idzik’s offense has leaned into an aggressive vertical approach, and McMillan should finally break through on Sunday with a 30-plus-yard catch that turns into a score.
The ground game should belong to Chuba Hubbard as well. Jonathon Brooks was already the clear RB2, and now he’s on injured reserve, leaving Hubbard to carry the backfield almost entirely.
Carolina needs to get the run game going earlier than it has, and this week it will try to do exactly that. The passing game should help set things up, creating the kind of field position that gives Hubbard chances to finish drives.
The prediction here is a big day on the ground: two rushing touchdowns for Hubbard, one from a yard out and another on an outside zone run from the 7-yard line.
In Other News...
Browns Crowd Drama Just Added Heat To Panthers Trip To Cleveland
Deshaun Watson spent much of the early season dealing with a restless home crowd, and the noise around him only grew louder as Clevelands start brought more frustration to Browns fans. Even after the Week 2 comeback win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, offensive coordinator Todd Monken praised Watsons effort, a reminder that the conversation around the quarterback has become as much about perception as production.
Watson then said he was hoping for more support ahead of the Browns home game against the Carolina Panthers, a request that adds another layer to a trip already shaped by the stadium mood. For Carolina, it means walking into a building where the home side will be watching closely and reacting loudly, with the atmosphere around Watson likely to be part of the backdrop from the opening snap. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Face One Tough Trade Call With Crowded Tight End Room
The Panthers tight end room has gone from thin to crowded in a hurry, and that sort of depth chart logjam usually invites some kind of roster juggling. Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans, Darren Waller and Ja'Tavion Sanders all need snaps, but Sanders has often been a healthy scratch, which only adds to the sense that Carolina has more bodies than clear roles at the position.
Los Angeles has a need of its own after injuries hit David Njoku and Charlie Kolar, leaving the Chargers short on blocking help at tight end. That has fueled speculation about whether Carolina could use the surplus to its advantage, with Mitchell Evans emerging as a possible trade chip and even the idea of packaging him with Kimani Vidal getting mentioned as a way to solve a larger problem for the Chargers. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Face A Risky Defensive Decision As Run Issues Mount
The Panthers early-season run defense has already become a concern, and the numbers back up the eye test: through two weeks, Carolina sits last in run-stuff percentage. That has naturally pushed the conversation toward help up front, and Bleacher Reports Kristopher Knox identified defensive tackle Daron Payne as one of the more intriguing trade possibilities for a team looking to stiffen its front seven.
Payne brings real appeal as a Pro Bowl player from 2022, and the reported asking price of a third-round draft pick is at least something Carolina could weigh if it believes the fit is worth it. The catch is just as obvious, though, because Payne would be a free agent after the season, which would make any deal a short-term fix with some real downside if the Panthers miss on the move. [Read more 🡒]