The Cleveland Browns’ home opener against the Carolina Panthers started with a bang — and ended with something much more telling.
Franchise legend Nick Chubb helped get the fans going pregame and Deshaun Watson kept the vibes high with some gritty play early. The much-maligned quarterback later led a go-ahead touchdown drive in the final five minutes of regulation to help the Browns survive Carolina, 21-18, at Huntington Bank Field.
Cleveland improved to 2-1 and will be back at it for next week’s primetime home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football. The Panthers dropped to 1-2.
There was a lot to feel good about in this game, but Cleveland’s struggles with penalties (it had 12 on Sunday), third-down conversions (5-for-15), and downfield passing (4.8 yards per attempt) continued. There’s a lot to unpack after this one.
The Browns found a way to win despite familiar problems refusing to disappear
The “Middle 8” continues to haunt Todd Monken’s Browns
To Todd Monken’s credit, he adjusted his strategy. After electing to receive in each of Cleveland’s first two games, Monken deferred to the second half against the Panthers.
But the Middle 8 — or the final four minutes of the first half and the first four minutes (extended) of the third quarter — continues to be a killer.
Isaiah McGuire’s sack stopped Carolina’s nine-play, 56-yard two-minute drill that resulted in a field goal right before the half. The Browns’ Malachi Corley then fumbled on the second-half kickoff, and the defense came through again to limit the Panthers to three points.
With those six points, the Browns have now been outscored 23-0 in the Middle 8 through three games. It’s still a small sample size, but with a new coach like Monken, it’s something to monitor going forward.
Deshaun Watson is winning over Browns fans — but not with his arm
To Watson’s credit, he kept the vibes high inside Huntington Bank Field with some early scrambles, including one where he evaded a sack and picked up 12 yards on third-and-6. He later found tight end Harold Fannin Jr. in the end zone on fourth-and-goal for the Browns’ first first-half touchdown of the season.
The passing game still struggled mightily in this game. Watson only completed 50 percent of his passes in the first half and finished with 144 yards on 30 attempts in the game.
Watson has proven that he’s healthy from the twice-torn Achilles tendon that forced him to miss the entire 2025 season. He entered Sunday’s game as Cleveland’s leading rusher and had another big third-down scramble for 20 yards late in the fourth quarter.
This Browns offense will be capped, though, if it can’t get the passing game operating with more efficiency.
Todd Monken continues to be aggressive in fourth-down situations (and it worked)
Monken promised to be aggressive on fourth downs this week, and he certainly was on Sunday.
Cleveland had a drive to nowhere in the second quarter — 13 plays, 48 yards, 8:55 off the clock, and zero points. Monken passed on a long field goal attempt at the Panthers 38 and kept his offense on the field on fourth-and-3. Watson found KC Concepcion at the sticks for the first down.
Monken did not hesitate on fourth-and-goal from the 2, and his offense rewarded the decision with a score. He also made another highly questionable decision to go for it with a minute left in regulation, calling a running play that was stuffed and gave the Panthers added life.
No one has more confidence in his young offense and veteran quarterback than Monken, but it worked on Sunday. The Browns are 3-for-6 on fourth down through three games.
Cleveland’s best pass rusher is an interior defensive lineman
After completely blowing up a fourth-down pass attempt by Bryce Young, Mason Graham counted one, two, three with his fingers.
The Browns’ No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 draft — one everyone forgot about after the Travis Hunter blockbuster trade — recorded two more sacks and now has four in three games to open the season. He's currently on pace for 22.6 sacks on the season.
Graham continues to be the Browns’ most effective pass rusher. He’s the team leader in sacks and tackles for loss (6) through three games, and the arrow is pointing way up on the former Michigan standout.
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