It took a couple of games for the Carolina Panthers and Cleveland Browns to get a feel for how they intend to perform this season.
Now the task for each team will be repeating that when they meet Sunday afternoon in Cleveland.
“That’s the challenge for our guys: how can we recapture this weekly and make sure we show up and play that kind of complementary football?” said Panthers coach Dave Canales.
Carolina (1-1) is fresh off a 34-3 romp over the Atlanta Falcons on the road.
The Browns (1-1) pulled out a 23-19 victory last week at Tampa Bay. Now, they’ll have the home crowd behind them for the first time this season.
“That’s all they want to see, a good product out there,” Browns coach Todd Monken said. “Going on the road the first two games, not easy. I commend our players and our coaches to come back 1-1. We would have liked to be 2-0. That’s the NFL. We’re excited to come back home and make it a hard place for the Panthers to play this weekend.”
After two solid outings on offense that have the Panthers second in the NFL with 35.5 points per game, quarterback Bryce Young senses big possibilities.
“It’s just trusting each other,” Young said. “We have so much confidence in one another.”
While Young shares the league lead in touchdown passes (six) and stands second in passing yards (648), Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson ranks second with his 76.9% completion rate.
“We have a real challenge this week,” Monken said. “Statistics don’t really matter. It matters how we play on Sunday.”
On defense, the Panthers were horrid in the opener against visiting Chicago (allowing 59 points) and then impressive last week in Atlanta.
Three Carolina defensive starters were held out of Wednesday’s practice with injuries: linebackers Devin Lloyd (calf) and Jaelen Phillips (back) and safety Nick Scott (ribs). Lloyd, who called the game in Atlanta the best performance of his career, earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his pair of interceptions, one of which he returned for a score.
The Panthers will have to retool in the offensive backfield with running back Jonathon Brooks going on injured reserve Wednesday in anticipation of surgery for a groin ailment.
That could bring more chances for running back Chuba Hubbard.
“My concern more is that we are able to block our runs properly so the running backs can get on course and run physically and all that,” Canales said. “We still have a ways to go.”
Canales said Hubbard will get the bulk of the carries against the Browns.
The Panthers expect to have receiver Jalen Coker closer to full speed as he has been playing with a sore ankle, Canales said.
Despite Carolina’s five forced turnovers against Atlanta, the Panthers gave up 157 yards on the ground. They’re expecting the Browns to test them with a ground attack.
“I know that (Monken) wants to be able to establish that mentality,” Canales said. “That’s what we’re expecting.”
Rookie Cleveland receiver KC Concepcion Jr., who has a team-high 10 catches, is from Charlotte, so he’ll be facing his hometown team. Fellow rookie Denzel Boston has a team-best 154 receiving yards with two touchdowns.
Cleveland guard Teven Jenkins (back) was held out of Wednesday’s practice.
Last week, the Browns signed second-year wideout Jimmy Horn Jr. to the practice squad shortly after he was released by Carolina following the first game.
Pass rushes for both teams are bound to be factors. Watson has been sacked seven times this season, which is tied for third-most in the league.
The Browns might give Young different looks. They recorded three sacks last week, with two of those on blitzes from defensive backs.
