The vibes could not have been worse for the Cleveland Browns after their season opener at Jacksonville. Todd Monken’s group didn’t look ready to play and was completely outclassed by the reigning AFC South champion, which led 31-0 and was in cruise control by the third quarter.
The beauty of the NFL? So much changes week to week.
On the heels of a galvanizing win over Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Browns are in a completely different spot entering this week’s home opener against the Carolina Panthers. The defense bounced back in a big way against the Bucs, and Deshaun Watson put together one of his finest performances as a Brown to help the team salvage a split on its Florida road trip.
From Don’t Stop Believin’ blaring from the speakers during the media-access portion of Friday’s practice to franchise legend Nick Chubb set to smash the guitar pregame, the vibes are all the way back up for what should be a winnable game against an unfamiliar opponent from the NFC South.
Consider this your Week 3 primer for all things Browns-Panthers.
Browns vs. Panthers Week 3
- How to watch/listen to Browns vs. Panthers
- Browns vs. Panthers injury updates
- Weather forecast for Browns vs. Panthers
- Todd Monken’s message to his team entering Week 3
- What Deshaun Watson said about facing the Panthers
- 3 storylines to watch for Browns in Week 3
How to watch/listen to Browns vs. Panthers
- Date: Sunday, September 27
- Time: 1 p.m. EST
- TV Network: FOX
- Announcers: Chris Myers, Mark Schlereth and Jen Hale (sideline reporter)
- Radio: 850 ESPN Cleveland, 98.5 WNCX, 92.3 The Fan WKRK, 1300AM La Mega (Español)
Browns vs. Panthers injury updates
Browns
On Friday, the Browns ruled out right guard Teven Jenkins, who will miss his third straight game to open the season with a back injury. Rookie Austin Barber will start in his place.
Two key defensive starters, cornerback Tyson Campbell (hip, ankle) and Grant Delpit (shoulder), were limited in practice all week and are questionable to play on Sunday. Delpit told reporters that he's going to play, per Zac Jackson of The Athletic.
Campbell could be more of a wild card after he couldn’t finish Cleveland’s Week 2 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If he can’t go, the Browns will likely turn to Mekhi Blackmon as his replacement on the boundary opposite Denzel Ward.
Panthers
Carolina ruled out three players: linebacker Claudin Cherelus (shoulder), safety Nick Scott (rib), and linebacker Devin Lloyd (calf).
Two of the Panthers’ top three wide receivers were listed as questionable: Jalen Coker (ankle) and Xavier Legette (knee). Both players missed Thursday’s practice and were upgraded to a limited session on Friday.
Coker has been extremely productive as Carolina’s main slot receiver through two weeks, racking up 16 catches on 18 targets for 204 yards and two touchdowns. His absence would drastically impact the game.
Weather forecast for Browns vs. Panthers
Per NFL Weather, the Browns’ home opener should be pleasant, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the upper 60s throughout the game.
Wind could be a factor, as the current forecast calls for 11 mph winds with gusts up to 17 mph.
Todd Monken’s message to his team entering Week 3
“Well, it’s a week-to-week league. We all know that. And we’re playing against the best in the world every single weekend. We’re coaching against the best in the world; we’re playing against the best in the world. And the bottom line is, as I told the team and I told you guys, ‘okay, so what, now what, right?’ Can you really refocus in terms of the development piece? All of us, strategically, coaching and then playing, that’s our job, is to create the best version of our players, develop them, and in turn the further they develop, the further we’ll develop as a team. And we’ve had a great week of practice, but we always have. And what we do is take care of our bodies today, get rest, fuel and hydrate. We’ll come back and walk tomorrow, and we’ll be ready to go on Sunday, and we’ll see. I mean that’s what it is. We go out there and I love the way we fight; I love the way we compete, and I look forward to the challenge, because that’s a really good football team, and I think we are too. We’ll put our best foot forward again.”
What Deshaun Watson said about facing the Panthers
“They don’t give up big plays. They’re big and strong up front, great, reactive, experienced linebackers. And then the secondary is very experienced, they’ve played a lot of ball together, so, they’re definitely going to make a team, make us earn every yard, and we got to make sure that we know that. We can’t give them free passes, and we got to take care of the ball, and just make sure that we take it one play at a time, because they’re going to make us earn it.”
3 storylines to watch for Browns in Week 3
Browns’ 31st-ranked rushing attack vs. Panthers’ 32nd-ranked rush defense
Something’s got to give here. Cleveland hasn’t been able to get anything going on the ground. If that doesn’t change against the Panthers, with Lloyd out of the lineup, it could be time to panic.
Quinshon Judkins is averaging 2.3 yards per carry and Watson is the team’s leading rusher overall — at the age of 31 coming off a twice-torn Achilles tendon.
The Panthers have allowed a ridiculous 448 yards on the ground through two games. For context, the struggling Green Bay Packers have given up 416 yards and have already played three games after Thursday Night Football this week.
How Deshaun Watson handles potential negativity from Browns fans
After he was booed loudly during Cleveland’s preseason game against the Buffalo Bills last month, Watson told reporters that he didn’t know if he could overcome the negativity. During his press conference this week ahead of the home opener, the majority of Watson’s comments read like a subtle plea for positivity.
Unfortunately for Watson, this is real life and not a fantasy land. Browns fans weren’t happy with the franchise’s decision to run it back at quarterback during the offseason, and that’s highly unlikely to change after one good performance in September.
Watson’s going to hear some boos during Sunday’s first half. How he responds will play a key role in how loud or quiet that noise gets over the course of the game.
Can Todd Monken and the Browns overcome their propensity for painfully slow starts?
The Browns were awesome in the second half of last week’s win over the Bucs, but they’ve been brutal offensively in the first two quarters of both games this season, and it will be interesting to see what adjustments Monken makes against the Panthers.
Cleveland hasn’t converted a single third down (0-for-11) or scored a touchdown in the first half this season. The Browns have won the coin toss and elected to receive in both games; those opening drives have resulted in a turnover and a three-and-out.
Another factor to watch? The middle eight minutes, as in the final four minutes of the second quarter and the first four minutes of the third quarter. The Browns had a chance to receive the second-half kickoff in both games. By gifting that advantage to their opponents, they’ve been outscored by a combined 17-0 in the middle eight this season.
Browns vs. Panthers Week 3 game prediction
In a vacuum, the Panthers are the better football team right now. But the injury to Lloyd is massive. During last week’s win over the Falcons, he singlehandedly wrecked the game with seven solo tackles, a sack, three pass breakups, and a pick-six.
The Browns should be able to find success on the ground with Judkins in a plus matchup. Watson should also be able to find success over the middle of the field with wideout KC Concepcion and tight end Harold Fannin Jr.
Cleveland has some wind in its sails and is catching Carolina at a good time. If Coker is ruled out or limited, the Browns should be in the driver’s seat.
Prediction: Browns 22, Panthers 17
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