The Carolina Panthers are two games into the 2026 regular season and have already had two very different production results on the defensive side of the ball. The one constant going into both games, they knew what kind of offense they were going up against.

In Week 1, the Panthers knew they were going up against one of the league’s most dangerous offenses against Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears and still surrendered 59 points. In Week 2, the Panthers knew they were going up a struggling Atlanta Falcons offense without their starting quarterback and absolutely took it to them allowing just three points with five takeaways.

It was a very sudden change in the way this defense was prepared from one week into the next and the intensity they played with on the field. I suppose giving up 59 points can provide that kind of motivation for all parties involved. And now the question becomes, which version of the Panthers defense will we see in Week 3?

Panthers are hoping to keep the defensive momentum rolling against Deshaun Watson and the Browns

This week, the Panthers have no idea what to expect going up against Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns offense. To put things in perspective, the last time Watson faced the Panthers was in 2019 when he went up against a team led by head coach Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Eric Washington. It’s safe to say A LOT has changed on both sides since that game.

Even beyond that, Watson looked like a totally different quarterback from what we saw in Week 1 to what we saw in Week 2 when the Browns beat the Buccaneers. Watson looked like his former self once again in that game, giving the Panthers a new perspective to look at when preparing for him. Especially when factoring in his rushing ability after getting gashed on the ground by a mobile quarterback in Caleb Williams in Week 1.

“I was kind of hoping he would be a little bit slower when I watched the tape,” Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero said of Watson. “I don’t feel that’s really the case. He still can run really well. He’s got a big-time arm. Those explosive, dynamic, capabilities are still there. His athletic ability and his throwing ability really jumps off tape.”

If the Panthers were watching Watson’s tape from the preseason or the game from Week 1, they would be salivating about this matchup. Watson was a turnover machine and the Panthers are playing like a very opportunistic group right now.

However, Watson looked like a totally different quarterback last Sunday completing 24 of his 30 pass attempts for 238 yards a two touchdowns while leading the team in rushing yards. The most important stat, no turnovers.

What changed for Deshaun Watson in Week 2? And how can the Panthers look to attack him?

To answer both of these questions, I spoke with our A to Z Cleveland beat writer Brandon Little to get an idea of what the Panthers should expect to see from Watson this week as he returns to Cleveland to play in front of the Browns’ home crowd for the first time this season.

“Deshaun Watson had one of his better games with the Browns in Week 2 against the Bucs and much of it felt like it happened because he was as comfortable as he’s ever been. The Browns offensive line is pass blocking like a top-10 unit right now and after forcing most of his own sacks in Week 1, Watson was much better at getting the ball out and maneuvering the pocket against the Buccaneers.

Another layer was that the Browns played much cleaner against the Bucs, and found themselves in easier second and third-down situations to create. While he’s still not pushing the ball down the field at a high rate, he did let it rip a bit more in Week 2, and that goes back to him being comfortable again. Much of Watson’s failures in Cleveland have come on the mental side, and that part looked night and day different last time out.

It’s now up to the Browns quarterback to show that his last time out wasn’t an outlier, and that he can play the position at a serviceable level consistently. This game against the Panthers is very important for what the rest of his Browns tenure looks like with it being the first game in front of home fans after there was back-and-forth between both sides in the preseason.” – Brandon Little, A to Z Sports Cleveland

The key to this game is simple for the Panthers, speed Watson up and put him in uncomfortable positions. If they can do that and take the ball away, this crowd will turn on Watson instantly and make this a living nightmare for Cleveland’s offense.

Last week Devin Lloyd was the standout player for this defense. I’m expecting a big game out of Jaelan Phillips this time around off the edge along with Derrick Brown and a returning Pat Jones II up-front to get pressure on Watson and force him to make mistakes. If that can happen, this should be a walk in the park for Carolina.