Inside the Numbers: Panthers vs Browns Game Preview

It's here! The 2022 season is just days away as the Carolina Panthers will welcome the Cleveland Browns to Bank of America Stadium on Sunday with kickoff set for 1 p.m. EST.

For the second straight year, the Panthers starting quarterback will be squaring off against his former team in Week 1. Last year, Sam Darnold led the Panthers to a 19-14 win over the New York Jets, and this year, Baker Mayfield will have the opportunity to do the same against the Cleveland Browns.

With how things went down in Cleveland, one would assume that revenge is on the mind of Baker Mayfield. That's not how he sees it. He admitted that this game does mean a little more because of who it is but he in no way views it as a "revenge game".

"Like I mentioned last week, I think it's a great storyline. Obviously, there's history involved. Leading up to this week there's other games in the NFL that [have] guys playing their former teams," said Mayfield. "It's the excitement leading up to Week 1 that I think is building that anticipation up. For me, anytime you're playing guys you know it makes it more interesting, more fun. You get to smack talk a little bit with your buddies that you've been with for a little bit. I'm just looking forward to the opportunity.

"I'm grateful for the time I had in Cleveland. It ended abruptly and unexpectedly but we're here now. Everything happens for a reason and I'm rolling with the punches and I'm happy to be a Panther."

So, does Mayfield's familiarity give the Panthers an advantage offensively in Week 1? Let's get into the nuts and bolts of the matchup.

Ben McAdoo takes over playcalling duties for the Panthers offense in 2022, replacing Joe Brady who was fired toward the end of last season after nearly two years of a stagnant offense. History shows that McAdoo likes to utilize his tight ends in the passing game but with all of the weapons the Panthers have on the perimeter, it's unlikely that Ian Thomas or Tommy Tremble will have a big impact early on in the season.

The big challenge for the Panthers offensively is going to be holding up against one of the best front sevens in the NFL. Rookie left tackle Ikem Ekwonu will get a nice welcome to the league by having to block Myles Garrett, who is viewed as one of the best pass rushers in the game. Jadeveon Clowney will get some reps across from Ekownu but the Panthers mainly expect Garrett to be the matchup.

"Obviously it's going to be a challenge for Ickey whether it's Myles or Mr. Clowney," said McAdoo. "He's got to be ready to go block them by himself but at the same point in time he's not out there by himself, right? It takes a team. It takes a good plan to put him in position to be successful. We drafted him for a reason. We have a lot of confidence in him as a player."

As feared as they are as pass rushers, both Clowney and Garrett are just as involved in stuffing the run. They are the complete package as defensive ends.

"They play a lot of wide-nine techniques. They get up the field. They do a tremendous job of getting after the quarterback. They'll play in the defense and then they'll get creative at times. They're two of the best you'll see in the game and we certainly have to factor that into the way we play. It's not just passing the football, they factor into the run game as well. They're really good players."

With rain predicted to be in the forecast all Sunday afternoon, we may see both teams cater to the ground game. With the quarterback situation each team has and the star power that exists in both backfields, neither coordinator will fight the idea of running the ball 30-plus times.

"In my opinion, you always have to be ready for the elements," McAdoo said. "But weathermen, it's a good thing they're always right, you know what I mean? But I think you have to put a plan together to go win the game and beat the opponent on the surface that you're going to play them. And I think you have to have an offense that can be able to adjust to conditions when they do happen and we have that type of offense here. When Sunday comes around, rain or shine, we'll have a plan in place."

Unless it's a complete monsoon, expect the Panthers to still sling the ball around with Baker Mayfield. DJ Moore, Robbie Anderson, Rashard Higgins, Laviska Shenault, Shi Smith, Terrace Marshall Jr., and Christian McCaffrey give Mayfield a ton of options to go to in the air. If Mayfield can walk the balance of taking shots in the right situations without putting the ball in harm's way, Carolina will have a chance to come out of Week 1 with a win.

Carolina lost two Pro Bowl-caliber players off of last year's top-five defense in CB Stephon Gilmore and LB Haason Reddick. Despite the departure of Gilmore, the Panthers feel really good about the cornerback group they have headlined by Donte Jackson, Jaycee Horn, and CJ Henderson.

"To be quite honest, we've got a luxury that a lot of teams don't have," said secondary coach Steve Wilks. "It's a great problem to have when you have three great corners trying to find the reps and rotate those guys."

To help further strengthen the secondary, the Panthers signed safety Xavier Woods in free agency, pairing him up with third-year star Jeremy Chinn. Communication in the back end was a major issue for this defense a year ago, but with Woods in the fold that should no longer exist.

"He knows a lot," head coach Matt Rhule said about Woods. "Definitely going to bring a lot to our defense. It's the little things too. It's the communication. It's after the play discussing what he saw. His confidence will be felt by everybody."

Unfortunately, the Panthers were unable to replace Reddick but they did add a couple of veteran linebackers in Damien Wilson and Cory Littleton, each of whom has a lot of starting experience. Defensive coordinator Phil Snow will be counting on those two along with whatever Shaq Thompson (knee) can give them against this physical Cleveland offensive line.

"First of all, if you look at their three backs, they may be as good of three backs as there are in the league," said Snow. "Really good football players. All of them. They have two tight ends they like that have been around a long time that block the edges. And their offensive line, their left guard is as good as there is in the league, [Jack] Conklin is coming back. They're good up front, they've been together a while, and they arguably have one of the best offensive line coaches in the business. When he [Bill Callahan] is on the football team, they normally lead the National Football League in rushing. It presents a really good test for where we're really at defending the run."

A good test is exactly what this matchup will be. The Panthers had a difficult time defending wide zone runs a year ago and although the Browns are typically an inside zone/power gap scheme offense, they have the ability to stretch it wide. Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt are a dynamic duo in the backfield that is hard to stop. Since the two became teammates in 2019, the Browns are 14-6 when they combine for 150 yards rushing. When Chubb goes over the century mark himself, they are 16-6.

I think it's safe to say that this game will come down to how well the Panthers can clog up running lanes and get Cleveland's backs to the ground. Phil Snow agrees.

"There's a way to tackle. You've got to bring your feet and hips, keep your eyes up. The angles to the football are important because he'll break down the angles if you don't run good angles. We've just got to run good angles, bring our feet, and grab, and tackle in numbers. You're not going to tackle these backs with one guy. You've got to come in numbers."

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