3 Major Takeaways From Panthers' Frustrating Week 3 Loss to Browns

The Panthers should be coming home from Cleveland 2-1.

I really don't know how else to put it. Carolina had an 18-13 lead with less than five minutes left, the defense had played pretty well all afternoon and somehow the Panthers are coming home with a 21-18 loss.

This one is frustrating because Carolina didn't get dominated. The Panthers actually outgained Cleveland 362-259 and had plenty of chances to put this game away. They just didn't.

Then when they finally did take the lead, they couldn't hold it. Bryce Young got one last chance after Cleveland went back in front, but his interception with 17 seconds left ended it. I know that's probably going to be the play everybody talks about, and I understand why.

I just don't think that's where Carolina lost this game.

Here are my three biggest takeaways from a game the Panthers probably should've won.

The Panthers Let This One Get Away

This is the one that bothers me the most.

Carolina finally got into the end zone when Young found John Metchie III for an 8-yard touchdown with 4:31 left. After watching Ryan Fitzgerald kick field goal after field goal, I thought that might finally be enough.

It wasn't.

Cleveland went right back down the field, scored a touchdown, and got the two-point conversion. Just like that, an 18-13 Carolina lead was gone.

I keep going back to all those field goals. Fitzgerald did his job and made four of them, including one from 53 yards. But you can't keep getting close to the end zone, coming away with three points and expect it not to hurt you eventually.

The Panthers had 362 yards, so moving the ball wasn't really the problem. They would get something going, and then the drive would stall. Do that enough times, and eventually it catches up with you.

That's exactly what happened.

We've talked about wanting to see this Panthers team learn how to win games like this. Well, they had one sitting right there Sunday, and they let it get away.

I Can't Put This Loss on the Defense

Sep 27, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) scrambles with the ball defended by Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Lee Hunter (92) during the second quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

I know Cleveland scored when Carolina needed a stop the most. Believe me, I would've loved to see the defense shut the door right there, but I can't put this loss on them.

Cleveland finished with 259 yards. Quinshon Judkins had 70 yards on 18 carries, and Deshaun Watson threw for 145 yards. Carolina did all of that without Devin Lloyd and Nick Scott.

I'll take that most Sundays.

The defense gave the offense enough chances to take control of this game. Carolina just kept coming away with three points instead of seven, and eventually Cleveland made them pay for it.

Now, does the defense get a complete pass? No. You're up five with less than five minutes left. Go get a stop and the game is probably over.

But I'm not going to sit here and blame a defense that gave up 259 yards and 21 points when the offense had chance after chance to make that final drive not matter.

I Have Mixed Feelings About Bryce Young

I keep going back and forth on Bryce after this one.

Young finished 27-of-48 for 293 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He wasn't great, but I don't think he was bad either. He made some really good throws and led the drive that put Carolina ahead late.

Then he got the ball back with a chance to win it. We've spent the first two weeks talking about how different Bryce looks, and before this game, I said I wanted to see what he would do when things weren't easy.

Well, I got my answer. Kind of.

The interception at the end was bad. There's no getting around that, and I'm not going to try. Carolina still had a chance to at least get into field-goal range, and Bryce made a mistake at the worst possible time.

But I'm also not throwing away everything else I've seen from him because of one throw. He threw it 48 times against a defense that made things difficult all afternoon and still finished with 293 yards.

I'm actually more bothered that he had to throw it 48 times.

Chuba Hubbard had 82 yards on 19 carries. That's 4.3 yards per carry. I've been asking for more Chuba for a couple of weeks now, and I'm going to keep asking for it. Take a little bit off Bryce's plate.

Maybe that's why I can't put this loss on one person. The defense played well enough to win. Bryce did some good things and made a bad mistake at the end. The offense moved the ball but couldn't finish enough drives.

Carolina had an 18-13 lead with 4:31 left. They should be 2-1, but they're not.

That's going to bother me for a while.

Add us as a preferred source on Google