The biggest question going into Sunday’s game between the Carolina Panthers and Cleveland Browns may not be about the on-field matchups.
uncertain
question → go → matchups
It’s probably about the reception embattled quarterback Deshaun Watson will get from fans in Cleveland’s first regular-season home game.
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Watson → ’ → game
Watson passed for 238 yards and two touchdowns in last Sunday’s 23-19 win at Tampa Bay to temporarily silence calls for replacing him with Shedeur Sanders.
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Watson → pass → Sanders
That probably will not be enough to quiet the boos from the Dawg Pound and other sections of the stadium where some fans see the Browns’ 2022 trade for Watson as one of the worst in NFL history.
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fans → quiet → history
Browns coach Todd Monken said again this week that one way for Watson to get fans back on his side is to play well.
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Watson → say → side
“What does every fan want?
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fan → want → What
I mean, that’s what everybody wants.
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everybody → mean → what
I’m excited to come back home and play, because I know the most important thing is seeing the Browns win,” Monken said.
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Monken → ’m → ?
Watson, whose 76.9% completion rate is second in the NFL, said he didn’t know if he would get more support after getting the Browns to 1-1.
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he → say → 1
“He balled (last week).
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He → ball → ?
People will say what they want about him, but when he puts that helmet on he comes ready to play.
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he → say → helmet
So we have to be ready.
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we → have → ?
He can make every throw.
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He → make → throw
He’s ready to lead those guys to a victory, so we have to show up,” Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson said.
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Jackson → ’ → victory
The Browns are hoping to get their run game going after averaging only 65.5 yards over the first two games.
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game → hop → games
The Panthers, meanwhile, allowed 291 yards on the ground in their Week 1 loss to Chicago but only 68 last week in their 34-3 victory at Atlanta.
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Panthers → allow → Atlanta
Carolina, looking to go 2-1 for the first time since 2021, comes into the game with one of the league’s top passing attacks.
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Carolina → look → attacks
He also leads the league with nine completions of at least 25 yards.
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He → lead → yards
Young is also looking to become the fourth player with at least 275 passing yards, three touchdown passes and a passer rating of 100 or higher in each of the first three games.
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Young → look → games
Cleveland hasn’t allowed a 300-yard passer in its last 47 games.
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Cleveland → allow → games
“I think it is just trusting each other and execution.
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it → think → other
(Past success) doesn’t entitle you to anything.
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success → entitle → anything
It’s 0-0 when we start, so we have to flush it.
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we → ’ → it
We have a ton of respect for them and we have to be at our best against their defense,” Young said.
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Young → have → defense
Last week: Panthers beat the Falcons 34-3; Browns beat the Buccaneers 23-19.
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Browns → beat → Buccaneers
Last meeting: Browns beat Panthers 26-24 on Sept. 11, 2022, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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Browns → beat → Charlotte
Series record: Panthers lead 4-3.
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Panthers → lead → ?
The Panthers brought the veteran tight end in to give them another option in the red zone and he hasn’t disappointed.
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he → bring → zone
After having a touchdown called back in Week 1 on an offensive pass interference, Waller responded with two TDs on Sunday at Atlanta.
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Waller → have → Atlanta
At 6-foot-6, Waller provides Young with another big weapon alongside wide receivers Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker.
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Waller → provide → McMillan
Tampa Bay tight end Cade Otton had five catches for 38 yards against the Browns in Week 2.
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Otton → have → Week
Stats and stuff
— Cleveland has won three of the past four meetings.
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Cleveland → win → meetings
— Carolina has scored at least 30 points in each of its first two games of the season for the first time in franchise history.
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Carolina → score → history
— Panthers QB Bryce Young is tied for first in passing touchdowns (six) and second in passing yards (648), while ranking sixth in passer rating (113.3).
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Young → tie → rating
— RB Chuba Hubbard has caught a touchdown pass on Carolina’s first possession in each of the first two games.
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Hubbard → catch → games
— Cleveland QB Deshaun Watson completed 24 of 30 passes last week at Tampa Bay, his sixth career start with at least an 80% completion rate.
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Watson → complete → rate
— Browns WR Denzel Boston leads rookies with 154 receiving yards.
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Boston → lead → yards
— Cleveland LB Carson Schwesinger has at least 10 tackles in eight of his last nine games.
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Schwesinger → have → games
The Aporia
