Panthers Confidence Meter: Can the D-Line Make Me a Believer Against Browns?

I don't know if I'm ready to trust the Panthers defensive line yet.

Maybe that's unfair after what they did against Atlanta, but I can't completely erase the Chicago game from my mind either. I watched that defensive front get pushed around for 291 rushing yards, and at times it looked like the Bears could've handed the ball off every play and Carolina wasn't going to stop it.

Then Atlanta happened.

Bijan Robinson finished with 72 yards on 16 carries, the Falcons scored three points, and suddenly I was watching a defense that looked nothing like the one I had watched a week earlier. I kept waiting for Atlanta to break a big run or for things to start falling apart again, but it never really happened.

That's why this week's confidence meter is a tough one for me. I definitely feel better than I did after Chicago, but am I ready to say the defensive line is fixed after one game? No, I'm not there yet, but I'm at least starting to feel a little better about them.

Confidence Meter: 65 Percent

Dec 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive end Derrick Brown (95) during the first half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

I went back and forth on this number because part of me wanted to go higher. I really liked what I saw against Atlanta, especially after what happened the week before. That defensive front got embarrassed against Chicago and then came back seven days later and looked like a completely different group.

But I keep coming back to those 291 yards. Maybe I need to let that game go at some point, but I'm not doing it after one week. I need to see Carolina stop the run again Sunday before I'm ready to say they've figured this thing out.

That's really what I'm watching against Cleveland. I'm not asking the defensive line to completely shut down the Browns, and I'm definitely not expecting Carolina to hold another team to three points. I just don't want to spend Sunday afternoon watching the Panthers get pushed five yards backwards every time Cleveland hands the ball off.

Give me something close to what we saw against Atlanta.

I'd also like to see Carolina get some pressure without having to bring everybody to do it. With Devin Lloyd out, somebody on this defense is going to have to make up for some of what they're losing.

Why not have it start with the guys up front?

There's enough there for me to think this defensive line could be pretty good. Atlanta showed me that, but Chicago is still the reason I'm sitting at 65 percent instead of something like 80 or 90. I just haven't seen enough yet to go any higher.

Sunday should help with that. If Carolina gets pushed around again, then maybe Atlanta was the weird game. But if this defensive line goes into Cleveland and puts together another good performance, I'll feel a whole lot better about saying Chicago was the one bad Sunday.

For now, 65 percent feels about right.

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