Carolina
Panthers
1-1
42
FINAL
27
Cleveland
Browns
0-2
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a commanding performance, the Carolina Panthers beat the Cleveland Browns 42-27 in Week 3 of the 2026 season. This matchup was crucial for both teams as they sought to establish momentum early in the year, but it was the Panthers who emerged victorious, showcasing their offensive prowess.
Leading the charge for Carolina was quarterback Haynes King, who threw for an impressive 339 yards and four touchdowns, proving to be a formidable presence in the pocket. Wide receiver Chris Brazzell II was his favorite target, racking up 132 receiving yards, while running back Trey Benson added 58 rushing yards to keep the defense on its toes. This offensive trio played a pivotal role in putting points on the board and maintaining control of the game.
Defensively, the Panthers made their mark as well, with Isaiah Simmons delivering a standout performance by securing three interceptions, which significantly shifted the game's momentum. Nic Scourton was also a force, recording two sacks to pressure the Browns' quarterback throughout the contest. The turning point came late in the second quarter when Simmons intercepted a pass, leading to a touchdown that extended the Panthers' lead and ultimately sealed their victory.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haynes King | QB | 36 | 19 | 53% | 339 | 4 | 3 | 87.6 |
| Shedeur Sanders | QB | 33 | 17 | 52% | 328 | 3 | 5 | 77.1 |
| Deshaun Watson | QB | 4 | 1 | 25% | 23 | 0 | 2 | 11.4 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trey Benson | HB | 10 | 58 | 5.8 | 14 | 2 | 41 | 0 |
| Haynes King | QB | 6 | 49 | 8.2 | 9 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| Dylan Sampson | HB | 5 | 20 | 4.0 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Xavier Legette | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tetairoa McMillan | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Brazzell II | WR | 4 | 132 | 33.0 | 79 | 3 | 64 | 0 |
| Dylan Sampson | HB | 4 | 121 | 30.3 | 86 | 1 | 78 | 0 |
| Darren Waller | TE | 5 | 120 | 24.0 | 63 | 0 | 54 | 0 |
| Rome Odunze | WR | 6 | 115 | 19.2 | 38 | 1 | 26 | 0 |
| Harold Fannin Jr | TE | 6 | 58 | 9.7 | 32 | 1 | 19 | 0 |
| KC Concepcion Jr | WR | 2 | 57 | 28.5 | 34 | 0 | 34 | 1 |
| Trevor Etienne | HB | 3 | 47 | 15.7 | 12 | 0 | 36 | 0 |
| Trey Benson | HB | 3 | 19 | 6.3 | 16 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Tetairoa McMillan | WR | 2 | 17 | 8.5 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| Xavier Legette | WR | 2 | 4 | 2.0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isaiah Simmons | SAM | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah | WILL | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Carson Schwesinger | MIKE | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Devin Lloyd | WILL | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Erick Hunter | MIKE | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Jared Verse | REDG | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Nic Scourton | LEDG | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jake Golday | SAM | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kader Kohou | CB | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyson Campbell | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jaycee Horn | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jaelan Phillips | REDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Grant Delpit | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Emmanuel McNeil-Warren | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Donte Kent | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Denzel Ward | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Daniel Thomas | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bobby Brown III | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zakee Wheatley | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Johnathan Edwards | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andre Szmyt | K | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Corey Bojorquez | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ryan Fitzgerald | K | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 |

