Browns 21, Panthers 18: Fannin Twice, Then Hickman

September 27, 2026 - Cleveland - The hit on Deshaun Watson should have ended the drive. Bobby Okereke was flagged for roughing the passer instead. First-and-10 at the Panthers' 14. Watson left for one snap, came back, and threw Harold Fannin Jr. open in the end zone.

The Cleveland Browns beat the Carolina Panthers 21-18 in the home opener and moved to 2-1. Watson finished 16 of 30 for 144 yards and two scores, both to Fannin. Andre Szmyt made kicks from 48 and 45. Carolina had four field goals, 360 yards, and the lead with 4:25 left. It did not have the last stop.

Four lead changes, one 14-yard throw

The first quarter was empty. Szmyt opened from 48 at 5:43 of the second. Watson found Fannin from 2 with 1:37 left in the half. 10-0. Ryan Fitzgerald answered from 35 before the break. 10-3.

Fitzgerald kept kicking. Forty-one yards two minutes into the third. Fifty-three at 3:17. Thirty-seven at 11:41 of the fourth. Carolina led 12-10 without a touchdown. Szmyt from 45 put Cleveland back up 13-12 at 7:30.

Bryce Young finally found the end zone. John Metchie III from 8 with 4:25 left. The two-point run failed. 18-13. Jalen Coker had already left with a quad injury in the third, per the Panthers. Young spread it to Brycen Tremayne, Darren Waller, and the tight ends. Tremayne caught four for 83.

Watson then went eight plays and 65 yards. ESPN has 65. The Browns listed 55. The roughing call after an interception was wiped is the play that matters. Fannin scored from 14 at 1:48. Watson hit Denzel Boston for the two-point conversion. Boston finished with two catches for 41 after a quiet half. 21-18.

Graham, then fourth-and-16, then Hickman

Carolina got the ball back with 1:48 left. Incomplete. Chuba Hubbard for no gain, Quincy Williams shoving him out. Mason Graham sacked Young for 6. Fourth-and-16. Young hit Waller for 8. Turnover on downs.

The Panthers got one more chance. Young, pressured by Isaiah McGuire, threw for Waller. The ball was tipped. Ronnie Hickman intercepted it with 16 seconds left. That was the third straight week Cleveland's defense closed a win, per the club.

Graham finished with two sacks, three tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, and seven tackles. McGuire had the other sack. Young was sacked three times for 29 yards. He completed 26 of 48 for 291 yards, one touchdown, and that last interception. Hubbard ran 19 times for 82 and caught four for 28. Quinshon Judkins ran 18 times for 70.

The Panthers lost more than the game. Mike Jackson left with a groin injury and did not return. Jaycee Horn was helped off on Cleveland's go-ahead score. Damien Lewis played through an elbow. Carolina's wrap called it a frustrating day. Four lead changes in the fourth. Cleveland owned the last one.

Cleveland outgained nobody. Carolina had 360 yards and 24 first downs. The Browns had 259 and 17. They were 2 of 3 in the red zone. Carolina was 1 of 3 and 0 of 3 on fourth down. Watson's 144 yards would look thin on a box-score poster. Two Fannin scores and a two-point throw to Boston are how you leave 2-1 anyway.

AthX Engine on a two-sack home opener

AthX Engine NFL scoring already has the Week 3 lines in. Graham's two sacks and three tackles for loss land at 76.00, the top total in this game. Hickman is 50.00. McGuire is 39.00. Watson is 36.77. Fannin is 35.25. Fitzgerald's four field goals are 34.00. Cleveland's team line is 58.00.

Fantasy points measure the box. Price is what traders will pay for a Browns front that closed two straight games, and for a Panthers offense that kicked its way into a lead it could not keep. They move together. They are not the same number.

Track Fannin, Young, Hubbard, Judkins, and both clubs on the marketplace. Cleveland visits the Jets on Oct. 11. Carolina is on a bye, then visits Philadelphia in Week 6.

*Sources: ESPN game page, Browns.com wrap, Browns takeaways, Panthers.com. Browns.com listed the winning drive at 55 yards; ESPN lists 65. AthX Engine Week 3 lines scored from nflverse weekly stats (CC-BY 4.0). Information only; not financial advice.*