Carolina
Panthers
0-2
28
FINAL
21
Cleveland
Browns
1-1
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling Week 3 matchup, the Carolina Panthers narrowly defeated the Cleveland Browns, with a final score of 28-21. The stakes were high as both teams sought to establish dominance early in the 2026 season, but it was the Panthers who emerged victorious in a tightly contested battle.
Shedeur Sanders put forth an impressive performance for the Browns, throwing for 298 yards and three touchdowns, showcasing his ability to lead the offense effectively. However, it was Chuba Hubbard of the Panthers who stole the show, rushing for a staggering 189 yards, consistently finding gaps in the Browns' defense and keeping drives alive. Isaiah Bond also had a notable game for Cleveland, racking up 123 receiving yards, but it wasn't enough to secure the win.
Defensively, the Panthers benefited from a standout performance by Nick Scott, who intercepted two passes, playing a crucial role in stifling the Browns' momentum. The game's turning point came late in the fourth quarter when Scott's second interception shifted the momentum back to Carolina, allowing them to run down the clock and seal the game. Meanwhile, Jared Verse's three sacks and four total tackles showcased his defensive prowess for Cleveland, but ultimately, the Panthers' resilience proved too much to overcome.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | YDS | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shedeur Sanders | QB | 24 | 16 | 298 | 3 | 2 | 114.2 |
| Bryce Young | QB | 23 | 11 | 113 | 1 | 1 | 58.7 |
| Chris Brazzell II | WR | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chuba Hubbard | HB | 13 | 189 | 14.5 | 2 | 66 | 0 |
| Quinshon Judkins | HB | 9 | 12 | 1.3 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Ja'Tavion Sanders | TE | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Xavier Legette | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tetairoa McMillan | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Bond | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shedeur Sanders | QB | 1 | -2 | -2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isaiah Bond | WR | 5 | 123 | 24.6 | 2 | 37 | 0 |
| Quinshon Judkins | HB | 6 | 98 | 16.3 | 0 | 38 | 0 |
| Tommy Tremble | TE | 4 | 72 | 18.0 | 1 | 27 | 1 |
| KC Concepcion Jr | WR | 3 | 50 | 16.7 | 1 | 35 | 0 |
| Tetairoa McMillan | WR | 3 | 34 | 11.3 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Jerry Jeudy | WR | 1 | 26 | 26.0 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| Ja'Tavion Sanders | TE | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Chris Brazzell II | WR | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Harold Fannin Jr | TE | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Chuba Hubbard | HB | 2 | -8 | -4.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Scott | SS | 4 | 0.5 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jared Verse | REDG | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nic Scourton | LEDG | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tre'von Moehrig | FS | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah | WILL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Lathan Ransom | SS | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Devin Lloyd | MIKE | 2 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Alex Wright | LEDG | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaycee Horn | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ronnie Hickman | FS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyson Campbell | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Derrick Brown | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Carson Schwesinger | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Jackson | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Jaelan Phillips | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Denzel Ward | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Isaiah Simmons | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chau Smith-Wade | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Edefuan Ulofoshio | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nathaniel Watson | SAM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Fitzgerald | K | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Corey Bojorquez | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

