As the Browns' defense prepares to face off against the Panthers, LB Quincy Williams is entering the matchup with a straightforward mentality. He's focused on the task at hand — slowing down Carolina's explosive offense.
But Williams is also sustaining the energy level that gave the Browns' defense success in their Week 2 win over the Buccaneers.
"(I'm) keeping the main thing the main thing," Williams said. "Rush and coverage working together, starting fast, coming out with energy, celebrating (and) making sure everyone is worried about the next play."
When Williams and the rest of the Browns' defense take the field with that energy at Huntington Bank Field on Sept. 27, they will be looking across the line of scrimmage at an explosive passing attack. The Panthers are averaging 35.5 points per game — the second most in the NFL — and 312.5 passing yards per game, the most in the league. They rank second in pass plays that have netted 20 or more yards with 10, per NFL stats, and are tied for second with three pass plays resulting in 40 or more yards.
The catalyst behind Carolina's offensive surge through the air to start the year has been QB Bryce Young, who is second in the NFL with 648 passing yards. Young is also tied for first in the league with six touchdown passes and ranks third with 8.9 yards per attempt.
"He's what we call a point guard," Williams said about Young. "He moves around a lot and gets his tall players the ball. The biggest thing with that is making sure that we get him down, making sure we keep him contained."
DE Jared Verse, who played the Panthers twice in 2025, also emphasized the importance of limiting Young's mobility and noted it is an area of the game where he can make plays and be successful.
Young has also shown the ability to make plays with his arm and one weapon that he frequently connects with is WR Tetairoa McMillan, the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. McMillan is 10th in the NFL with 176 receiving on 10 catches through two games, highlighting his big play ability.
The Browns' secondary is aware of McMillan's presence and the impact he can have on the game. They also understand that Young will be looking to get McMillan the ball, and their success in defending that connection comes down to execution.
"Really good receiver, great catch radius," CB Denzel Ward said. "We know he's a guy that Bryce is going to target and try to get the ball to, so we just know we got to keep our eyes on him. But a guy that can make plays for them all over the field, and we just got to try to find a way to minimize them."
Along with McMillan, the Panthers boast another top receiving option in WR Jalen Coker, a third-year player who has continued his success from the end of the 2025 season. Coker has 204 receiving yards through two games, which ranks sixth in the NFL and leads the Panthers. Still, the Browns' defense is focused on successfully executing their coverage assignments.
"They got a good receiving corps, and they mold well with each other," Ward said. "They've been putting a lot of points on the board, and we just got to execute and do our job though."
With the Browns' emphasis on pass rush and coverage working together, which is a saying that the team embodies, they will aim to pressure Young along with limiting Carolina's perimeter threats. Verse is looking forward to facing Carolina's offensive line, which he believes is a matchup that plays into his strengths.
"The offensive line specifically, they're very aggressive, and those are the type of offensive linemen I like to thrive against – people that come in with a chip on their shoulder," Verse said. "They're all very hard, nitty gritty, old linemen, so it's going to be a fun game."
To successfully limit the Panthers' offense in Week 3, the Browns are focusing on containing Young and Carolina's perimeter weapons. And both the pass rush and coverage will look to accomplish that goal by working together.
"We're going to have to do a great job of coverage, and when we get a chance to get our hands on Bryce, or at least keep him contained, we have to do a great job there," head coach Todd Monken said. "This is the NFL; every team you play has really good players and really good coaches. So, we're going to have to be on point with our rush lanes and our coverage."
Browse photos of the Cleveland Browns practicing at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus as they prepare for their Week 3 matchup against the Carolina Panthers.
Wide receiver KC Concepcion Jr. (1) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Head Coach Todd Monken during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Carson Schwesinger (49) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Punter Corey Bojorquez (13) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Running back Jaleel McLaughlin (38) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive lineman Adin Huntington (98) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Offensive guard Zak Zinter (70) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Krys Barnes (43) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Offensive Coordinator Travis Switzer during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Bub Means (81) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive end Isaiah McGuire (57) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Fullback Michael Burton (34) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. (19) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (42) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Quarterback Taylen Green (15) and Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Denzel Boston (12) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver KC Concepcion Jr. (1) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive end Khordae Sydnor (90) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Quarterback Taylen Green (15) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Fullback Michael Burton (34) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver KC Concepcion Jr. (1) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive end Khordae Sydnor (90) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Head Coach Todd Monken during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. (19) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive end Logan Fano (99) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Tight end Carsen Ryan (48) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive lineman Adin Huntington (98) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (42) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive Line Development Assistant LaRoy Reynolds during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. (19) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Krys Barnes (43) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Carson Schwesinger (49) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Run Game Coordinator/Linebackers Coach Jason Tarver during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Running back Quinshon Judkins (10) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Denzel Boston (12) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Head Coach Todd Monken during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. (19) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Carson Schwesinger (49) and Defensive Coordinator Mike Rutenberg during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (28) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Quarterback Taylen Green (15) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Offensive Coordinator Travis Switzer during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Krys Barnes (43) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Carson Schwesinger (49) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Krys Barnes (43) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Offensive guard Zion Johnson (77) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Run Game Coordinator/Linebackers Coach Jason Tarver during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Running back Raheim Sanders (23) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Krys Barnes (43) during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Offensive Coordinator Travis Switzer during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Bub Means (81) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
The linebackers during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) and Defensive end Jared Verse (8) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Punter Wes Pahl (36) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive end Derek Barnett (97) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Head Coach Todd Monken during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Isaiah Bond (0) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Offensive Analyst Travis Monken during practice on September 23, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive end Derek Barnett (97) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Safety Zion Washington (30) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Safety Donovan McMillon (31) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Quarterback Coach Mike Bajakian during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Running back Jaleel McLaughlin (38) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Running back Eric Gray (41) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Quarterback Taylen Green (15) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. (19) during practice on September 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
