The Carolina Panthers had a shot at heading into next week’s prime-time date with the Detroit Lions at 2-1 and sitting on top of the division. Instead, Sunday in Cleveland turned into a 21-18 loss that left the reigning NFC South champs with their second defeat of the season.
It was the kind of game that exposed a little bit of everything. Carolina lost the battle up front, couldn’t cash in on takeaway chances and never quite cleaned up the little mistakes that tend to decide tight games.
Still, there were a few bright spots buried in the mess.
On offense, left guard Damien Lewis was the clear standout, posting an 89.7 Pro Football Focus grade. He was the only Panthers offensive lineman who didn’t surrender a pressure, and he led the group with a 79.1 pass-blocking grade and an 88.5 run-blocking mark.
With Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette out, Brycen Tremayne stepped into a bigger role and delivered. He caught four passes for a team-high 83 yards. Tight end Mitchell Evans and Tommy Tremble also chipped in with three receptions apiece, with Tremble finishing at 41 yards and Evans at 36.
Bryce Young had his moments, too. He went 26-of-48 for 291 yards, a touchdown and an interception, and he enters the final game of the Week 3 slate leading the NFL with 939 passing yards.
But the line around him was a problem. Robert Hunt, Monroe Freeling and Rasheed Walker each allowed six pressures, while center Luke Fortner finished with the group’s lowest pass-blocking grade at 34.4. AJ Dillon’s 53.9 grade and Hunt’s 53.9 landed among the lowest offensive marks as well.
Defensively, inside linebacker Tyrel Dodson made a strong first impression in his Panthers debut. He finished with six tackles, three stops and an 83.8 grade.
Derrick Brown was right behind him at 82.4, adding three stops and two pressures. Lee Hunter and Trevis Gipson also landed among the top five defensive grades, while Akayleb Evans earned a 69.7 after stepping in for Mike Jackson, who left in the first quarter with a groin injury.
Evans’ 78.1 coverage grade was the best on the team.
The rougher side of the defensive ledger was crowded with safeties. Tre’von Moehrig, Zakee Wheatley and Lathan Ransom all checked in near the bottom, with Moehrig missing three tackles and Ransom missing two.
Princely Umanmielen tied Jaelan Phillips for the team lead with five pressures, but his day was dragged down badly in coverage. His 29.7 coverage grade was the lowest on the defense by a wide margin. Jackson, despite exiting early, also landed near the bottom of the defensive grades at 47.5.
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Panthers Leave Week 3 With One Problem They Can't Ignore
The Panthers Week 3 loss in Cleveland was the kind of game that leaves a lingering concern beyond the final score. Bryce Young spent much of the afternoon under duress, taking three sacks as Carolinas offense never quite found its footing against a Browns front that made protection a constant issue. Add in the injuries that hit key pieces like wide receiver Jalen Coker and cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson, and the margin for error got even thinner.
Carolinas defense had chances to keep the game within reach, but Deshaun Watsons late touchdown pass while scrambling was the sort of play that can swing a close contest and underline what was missing for the Panthers. The bigger issue, though, is hard to miss after a 21-18 loss: if the line cant give Young cleaner pockets and the injury list keeps growing, the offense will have a hard time sustaining anything week to week. [Read more 🡒]
Dave Canales Weighed In On The Call Panthers Fans Are Fuming Over
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Dave Canales addressed the call afterward and pointed to the hit on Deshaun Watsons head as the reason the flag was thrown, even as Panthers fans bristled at how costly the ruling became. Carolina still had two chances to get back even after that, but the offense came up empty on a turnover on downs and then an interception, leaving the penalty to loom even larger in a game the Panthers had every chance to steal. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Loss Exposed An Offensive Problem Fans Wont Ignore
A rough afternoon against Cleveland put Carolinas offense under the microscope, and not just because Bryce Young was forced to deal with steady pressure. The run game never gave the Panthers much relief, and the combined effect of those issues made it harder for the offense to find any rhythm, especially with injuries also thinning out key spots across the roster.
What stood out most was how little confidence the Panthers seemed to have in leaning on the ground game when the game tightened up. For a group that spent the offseason trying to upgrade its protection and stabilize the offense, the lack of push up front was hard to miss, and it leaves a familiar question hanging over how this unit is supposed to hold up when the pressure rises. [Read more 🡒]