This looks like a close contest, but we give a slight edge to CAR.

Key matchups

Each unit ranked against all 32 teams on 2026 play-by-play through week 2. Longer bar is better; a gold rank marks the side with the edge.

When the Panthers have the balloffence against defence, rank of 32 (1st is best)

CAR offence

CLE defence

OverallEPA per play

6th

24th

PassingEPA per dropback

5th

20th

RushingEPA per carry

21st

24th

Third downconversion rate

13th

23rd

Pass protectionsack rate: allowed vs forced

9th

19th

Biggest gap: overall, where the Panthers offence has a 18-place edge.

When the Browns have the balloffence against defence, rank of 32 (1st is best)

CLE offence

CAR defence

OverallEPA per play

23rd

15th

PassingEPA per dropback

18th

10th

RushingEPA per carry

30th

28th

Third downconversion rate

28th

27th

Pass protectionsack rate: allowed vs forced

29th

17th

Biggest gap: pass protection, where the Panthers defence has a 12-place edge.

Only 2 weeks of data so far: treat ranks as a direction, not a verdict.

Form and history

Panthers this season

L37-59wk 1 vs CHIW34-3wk 2 at ATL

Browns this season

L10-34wk 1 at JAXW23-19wk 2 at TB

Last 1 meetingsCAR 0 · CLE 1

26-24CLE at CAR
2022-09

Injury report

Panthersmodel impact 0.0

Chris BrazzellWR · Knee	IR
Trevor EtienneRB · Ankle	IR
Bam Martin-ScottLB · Hamstring	IR
Tershawn WhartonDT · Neck	PUP
Taylor MotonT · Illness	PUP
Ikem EkwonuT · Knee	PUP
Brady ChristensenT · Hamstring	IR
Nic ScourtonDL · Knee - ACL	IR
Jonathon BrooksRB · Groin	Doubtful
Patrick JonesDE · Back	Questionable
Trevis GipsonLB · Head	Questionable
Claudin CherelusLB · Shoulder	Questionable

Brownsmodel impact 0.0

Nathaniel WatsonLB · Knee	Out
Dillon GabrielQB · Back	IR
Dylan SampsonRB · Knee	IR
Joe RoyerTE · Personal	PUP
Jeremiah Owusu-KoramoahLB · Neck	PUP
Kalia DavisDL · Quadriceps	IR
Alex WrightDL · Achilles	IR
Damarri MathisDB	IR
Kendrick GreenC	IR
Tyson CampbellCB · Ankle	Questionable
Teven JenkinsOL · Back	Questionable

Player props

Every posted line with the market's view and each player's last ten games against it.

Player props for this game haven't been posted by the books yet. They usually land Thursday to Saturday.

The betting view

Posted odds, the same odds with the bookmaker's margin removed, and where the model disagrees.

Read this before you bet: picking winners is not beating the price. At posted odds our 2025 flat-bet ROI was −6.9%. Use the model as one view of the game, not a tip.