3 Reasons the Panthers Will Beat the Browns (& 2 Reasons They Won't)

If you're looking for the biggest reason to believe the Panthers can win again on Sunday, start with Bryce Young. Through two games, he has thrown for 648 yards and six touchdowns, and what I've liked most is how comfortable he looks.

Against Atlanta, Young threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns without turning the ball over. He wasn't trying to do too much or force the football somewhere it didn't need to go. He just looked comfortable.

That's probably been the biggest difference for me through two games.

I'm not expecting him to throw three touchdowns every week. But if this is the Bryce Young we're going to see most Sundays, I feel a whole lot better about this offense than I did before the season started.

Reason They Will: Carolina Finally Has Plenty of Weapons

For the first time in a while, defenses actually have a few different Panthers they have to worry about.

Jalen Coker has been great through the first two games, and Tetairoa McMillan has already shown why Carolina used a first-round pick on him. Xavier Legette showed against Atlanta that he can make a big play, Darren Waller gives Young another option around the red zone, and Chuba Hubbard can help out of the backfield.

Coker and Legette are both questionable for Sunday, so obviously that's something to keep an eye on. But when everybody is healthy, who exactly are you taking away?

If you decide Coker isn't going to beat you, Bryce can go somewhere else. Pay too much attention to McMillan, and somebody else should have a chance to make a play.

For once, Bryce has options.

We haven't been able to say that very often around here.

Reason They Will: Maybe That Atlanta Defense Wasn't a Fluke

I'm still trying to figure out what happened between Week 1 and Week 2 because that didn't look like the same defense.

After giving up 59 points and 552 yards against Chicago, Carolina went to Atlanta and gave up three points and 286 yards. The Panthers came away with five turnovers and didn't let Atlanta get into any kind of rhythm.

Now, I'm definitely not expecting five turnovers again. If that's what it takes for Carolina to win every week, we're going to have a problem.

I don't think they need that, though.

Just don't give up the huge plays we saw against Chicago. Make Cleveland work for its points and give Bryce and the offense a chance to do their job. I don't think that's asking too much.

Reason They Won't: The Running Game Still Isn't Doing Enough

I've already said this a few times, but I really don't understand why Chuba Hubbard isn't getting the football more.

Hubbard has 22 carries for 102 yards through two games. He's averaging 4.6 yards per carry, so it's not like Carolina keeps handing him the ball and nothing is happening. He's been pretty good when they've actually given him a chance.

I'm not saying the Panthers need to suddenly run Hubbard 25 times Sunday. Not with the way Bryce is playing. But somewhere between 11 carries a game and 25 seems like a pretty good place to start.

I'd just like to see a little more balance.

If Cleveland doesn't have to worry much about the running game, that makes things a whole lot easier on its defense. The Browns can start coming after Bryce, and suddenly we're asking him to do everything again.

We've seen enough of that already.

Reason They Won't: I Still Don't Completely Trust This Defense

I know I just spent an entire section talking about how the Atlanta game might not have been a fluke, and now I'm telling you I don't completely trust the defense.

Maybe I'm contradicting myself a little bit.

But after what we've watched through two games, can you blame me?

The Atlanta performance was impressive. I'm just not ready to forget about Chicago yet. You don't give up 59 points and 552 yards and make me forget about it seven days later just because you played one great game.

Now Carolina has to go into Cleveland without Devin Lloyd, who has already been ruled out. That's one more reason for me to wonder which version of this defense we're going to see.

I don't need them to give up three points again. I don't need five turnovers either. Just show me that Atlanta is closer to what this defense really is than what we watched against Chicago.

That's really all I want to see Sunday.

Carolina doesn't have to go into Cleveland and win by 31 points for me to believe last week meant something. Go on the road, play a good football game, and come home 2-1.

I'll take that.