Carolina’s Offense Rising, 4 Other Things to Know About Panthers vs. Browns

Dave Canales’s Carolina Panthers come off a resounding win at Atlanta. The defending NFC South champions can’t afford a letdown on the road against the Browns.

Sep 20, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (30) rushes and breaks a tackle from Atlanta Falcons cornerback C.J. Henderson (26) during the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s a clash of two teams that rebounded from lopsided losses on the opening Sunday of the season to post road victories last week.

You have to go all the way back to 2019 to find the last time the Carolina Panthers scored at least 30 points in back-to-back games in the same season. However, that is indeed the case these days as Dave Canales’s club has kicked off 2026 with a 59-37 home loss to the Chicago Bears and followed that up with a 34-3 blowout victory at Atlanta.

Meanwhile, the Cleveland Browns bounced back from a 34-10 setback at Jacksonville and rallied to surprise the Buccaneers at Tampa, 23-19. Now Dave Canales’s team looks to make it two straight road wins but will have to do it without linebacker Devin Lloyd and safety Nick Scott.

Panthers vs. Browns History

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There isn’t a lot to go on here as the teams have met just seven times, with Carolina owning a 4-3 edge in the series. The clubs’ first encounter took place in 1999 when the Browns returned to the league as an expansion team. The Panthers’ last appearance in Cleveland was eight years ago and resulted in a 26-20 loss in 2018. The teams last met four years ago in Charlotte, and the Browns kicked off the 2022 season with a 26-24 victory.

Browns’ Running Game Has Been Non-Existent So Far in 2026

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Carolina’s run defense took a beating on the opening Sunday in the loss to the Bears, allowing 291 yards. And despite the Panthers’ comfortable win at Atlanta last week, Ejiro Evero’s unit was gashed for 157 yards on the ground. However, the Browns have run for a total of 131 yards in their first two games.

Todd Monken’s team has been slow out of the gate in their first two games. The Browns have been outscored a combined 33-6 in the first 30 minutes of their clashes with the Jaguars and Buccaneers. Cleveland has been outgained in total yards, 360-154, and not scored a touchdown in the first half.

Panthers’ TE Darren Waller Bears Watching

Darren Waller with his SECOND TD of the game 😤

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Tight end has been a position that’s been a bit overlooked in Carolina in recent years, That wasn’t the case in Atlanta last Sunday as newcomer Darren Waller caught a pair of TD passes. In 11 games with the Dolphins and Panthers dating back to 2025, he’s totaled 29 catches, good for 344 yards and eight scores.

Deshaun Watson made a fine account of himself in last Sunday’s come-from-behind win at Tampa. He hit on 24-of-30 passes for 238 yards and a pair of scores without a turnover in a much-needed 23-19 victory. Will he manage another solid showing against a Carolina defense that has six takeaways in two games?