The Carolina Panthers kick off the 2022 regular season with a home opener against the Cleveland Browns at Bank of America Stadium. Carolina enters this season led by third-year head coach Matt Rhule. The Panthers ended the 2021 season with a 5-12 record – finishing fourth in the NFC South. Half of the Panthers 12 losses
were decided by one score or less.
The Browns closed the 2021 season with a 8-9 record and third place finish in the AFC North Division. Cleveland is led by third-year head coach Kevin Stefanski who led the Browns to the playoffs in his first season at the helm in 2020.
This matchup marks the fifth-consecutive season the Panthers open the season at home. The team is 2-2 in its previous four Week 1 matchups. From 2007-17, the Panthers opened at home just twice in those 11 seasons.
The Numbers
About Carolina
- The Carolina Panthers were the only team in the NFL to not allow the opposing quarterback a touchdown pass for the entire preseason. The Panthers’ defense only allowed 13.67 points per game, which is the lowest among teams in the NFC.
- Carolina’s offense converted 53.1 percent of their 3rd downs, compared to the defense holding the opponent to only 34.2 percent on 3rd downs attempts. Panthers finished the preseason going 8 for 8 in the red zone with five touchdowns and three field goals. One of five teams in the NFC to score points on every drive in the red zone.
- Quarterback Baker Mayfield makes his Carolina debut Sunday. He was selected number one overall by Cleveland in 2018 NFL Draft and passed for 14,125 yards and 92 touchdowns in 60 games (2018-21). Mayfield is 1 of 9 quarterbacks all-time with 3,000+ pass yards in each of 1st 4 career seasons.
- Running back Christian McCaffrey had 785 scrimmage yards (112.1 per game) in just seven games in 2021. He leads all active players with 113.8 scrimmage yards per game and has 11 career games with 10+ catches – most by running back all-time. McCaffrey has 3,661 scrimmage yards (126.2 per game) & 27 TDs (18 rush, 9 rec.) in 29 career homes games – aiming for his 6th in row at home with 100+ scrimmage yards. He had two rushing touchdowns in their last meeting.
- Wide receiver DJ Moore led the team with a career-high 93 receptions and 1,157 rec. yards and had four touchdowns in 2021. He is one of three players (Stefon Diggs & Travis Kelce) with 1,100+ rec. yards in each of past 3 seasons. Moore had 5+ catches in seven of his eight home games in 2021.
- Defensive end Brian Burns tied a career high with nine sacks & set career high with 13 tackles for a loss last season. He leads all players who entered the NFL in 2019 with 25.5 sacks. Burns had TFL in six of his eight home games in 2021.
- Safety Jeremy Chinn led the team with 106 tackles in 2021 and is the only defensive back with 100+ tackles in each of the past two seasons.
- Linebacker Shaq Thompson had his 3rd-straight 100+ tackle (104) season in 2021. He is one of three linebackers (Demario Davis & Deion Jones) with 100+ tackles, 5+ tackles for a loss and 5+ PD in each of past two seasons.
- Cornerback Donte Jackson is one of three defensive backs (Adrian Amos & Denzel Ward) with 8+ passes defended & 2+ interceptions in each of his past four seasons. Jackson had his first career game with 10+ tackles in these two team’s last meeting.
About Cleveland
- The Browns retained nine of its 11 defensive starters from a season ago and expect the group to be one of the top defenses in the league. The group ranked fifth in total defense (311.5 yards allowed per game) last season and was particularly strong late in the year, holding opponents to 26 or less points in the last seven games.
- Quarterback Jacoby Brissett makes Cleveland debut Sunday. In five starts with Miami last season, Brissett totaled 1,089 pass yards (217.8 per game) & six touchdowns (5 pass, 1 rush) vs. three interceptions. Brissett had rushing touchdown in his only career start versus Carolina (12/22/19 w/ Ind.).
- Running back Nick Chubb ranked 2nd in NFL with 1,259 rush yards and had eight rushing touchdowns in 2021. He is the only player in NFL with 950+ rushing yards and 8+ rushing touchdowns in each of past four seasons, and is 6th player all-time to do so in each of 1st four seasons. Chubb rushed for 66 yards a touchdown in their last meeting. He had 820 scrimmage yards (117.1 per game) in seven road games in 2021.
- Running back Kareem Hunt had 560 scrimmage yards (386 rush, 174 rec.) & five rushing touchdowns in eight games last season. He had four rushing touchdowns in four road games in 2021.
- Wide receiver Amari Cooper makes his Cleveland debut Sunday. Cooper totaled 68 catches for 865 rec. yards & tied a career-high with eight receiving touchdowns in 2021 with Dallas. He is the only player in the NFL with 5+ receiving touchdowns in each of the past seven seasons. Cooper had touchdown catch in his last game versus Carolina (10/3/21 w/ Dallas).
- Wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones set career-highs in catches (34), receiving yards (597) and receiving touchdowns (3) last season.
- Tight end David Njoku had 475 receiving yards and tied career high with four touchdown catches in 2021.
- Defensive end Myles Garrett ranked 3rd in NFL with a franchisenrecord 16 sacks last season. Garrett is one of three players (Aaron Donald & T.J. Watt) with 10+ sacks in each of the past three seasons. He had two tackles for a loss and a sack in these team’s last meeting.
- Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney ranked 2nd on the team with 11 tackles for a loss and nine sacks in 2021 – his 3rd career season with 9+ sacks (2017, 2018).
- Cornerback Denzel Ward had 10 passes defended and tied a career-high with three interceptions last season. He is the only player in the NFL with 10+ passes defended and 2+ interceptions in each of past four seasons.
Connections
- Panthers FB Giovanni Ricci is from Loveland, OH and attended Loveland HS.
- Panthers G Pat Elflein is from Pickerington, OH and attended Pickerington North HS. He went on to play at Ohio State from 2013-2016.
- Panthers DT Phil Hoskins is from Toledo, OH and went to Whitmer HS.
- Panthers G Michael Jordan played collegiately at Ohio State from 2016-2019.
- Browns DE Jadeveon Clowney is from Rock Hill, SC. He attended South Pointe HS and went on the play collegiately at South Carolina from 2011-2013.
- Browns QB Jacoby Brissett attended N.C State from 2014-15.
Panthers vs Browns
Regular Season Series: 6 total matchups | Carolina leads the series 4-2
Last Regular Season Game: 12/09/18 | Carolina 20 vs Cleveland 26
Current Streak at this Week’s Venue: Carolina leads the series in Charlotte 2-0
How to Watch
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. ET CBS – Spero Dedes, Jay Feely, Aditi Kinkhabwala
Live Stream: Panthers.com
Radio: WRFX 99.7FM in Charlotte market; On The Call: Anish Shroff, Jake Delhomme, Luke Kuechly, Kristen Balboni, Jim Szoke
Per Release