Browns 30 vs 10 Panthers summary: stats, scores and highlights |Shedeur Sanders shines in debut

Sanders passed the torch off to Gage Larvadain for the final touch on Shedeur's shift. Sanders ended the night with the win, with two passing TDs and 138 yards on 14/23. It's hard to imagine the fifth round pick having a better debut to his NFL career. He had something to prove tonight and he proved it in his first start. Ladies and Gents, Shedeur is here to stay. 

Sanders connected with Davis in the end zone, but what you can't see on this replay was the way Shedeur sidestepped the blitz, kept his calm, and then fired the bullet to put the Browns up 14-7 right before the halftime break. 

When it's your night it's your night. And your receivers can add to that with some incredible catches like Luke Floriea had on this one handed snag to set up the second scoring drive for the Browns. 

After his first TD, everything seemed easier for Sanders. He had more space. His receivers were getting open. And the Browns were moving the ball down the field at ease. 

After a slow first few drives, CLE got the ball with great field position and Shedeur did what Shedeur knows how to do best. He found his receiver with a bullet pass through defenders for the opening score of the game, all while rolling to his left. 

It was a night to remember for Shedeur Sanders who got the start in the Cleveland Browns first preseason game. He was selected in the 5th round after plummeting down the draft board in April, but on Friday night he looked like a first round pick. After a slow start that saw Cleveland go three and out and turnover on downs, he got his chance after a muffed punt by Carolina. 

The Panthers scored thanks to a brilliant piece of quarterbacking from Bryce Young, but let's be honest we are all here for Shedeur. 

IT'S ALL OVER!!!

The Cleveland Browns win their preseason opener 30-10, but no one won more than Shedeur Sanders tonight. 

One more just for good measure. This one from Huntley to McDonald for the icing on the cake for Cleveland. 

Huntley goes deep down the left sideline for Cannella on a 19 yard gain inside the 10!

1st and Goal from the CAR 6. 

Huntley tucks and runs for a first down to keep the drive alive. 

1st and 10 from the CAR 36. 

Williams runs for a short gain of 2 yards, but he's short of the marker. 

3rd and 1 from the CAR 38. 

Huntley finds Taua out of the backfield and he takes it for 7 yards. 

2nd and 3 from the CAR 40. 

Taua to the left side and he takes it for 12 yards and a first down. 

1st and 10 from the CAR 47. 

CLE take over from their 41 and Huntley's pass to Johnson falls incomplete. 

2nd and 10 from the CLE 41. 

The Panthers went three and out with Plummer in at QB, and since Young came out of the game, the Panthers haven't been able to do much with the ball, even with Dalton as the QB. 

After Shedeur went to the bench is was Huntley who came in and he finished off the drive with a field goal to put the Browns up 24-7. 

CLE lad 24-7 with 13:00 to go. 

Sanders' night has come to an end after three quarters. In a dream debut for the Browns, he went 14/23 for 138 yards and two TDs. There is room for improvement, but man did he show a lot of potential in his first NFL action. 

WE ARE AT THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER AND THE BROWNS LEAD 21-7 AFTER LARVADAIN'S TD RUN ON 4TH AND 2!!!

THE BRILLIANT NIGHT FOR SHEDEUR CONTINUES!!!

Sanders rolls to the right side under pressure and gets taken down by Richardson for a loss of 5 yards. 

4th and 12 and the Browns go three and out to start the half. 

Williams gets the handoff to the left side and picks up 3 yards. 

3rd and 7 from the CLE 45. 

CLE get the ball back from their 42 and Sanders pass to Cota on the left side falls incomplete. 

2nd and 10 from the CLE 42. 

Dalton looking back to Coker with a short pass to the left side but that falls incomplete. 

4th and 7 and the Panthers go 3 and out to start the half. 

Dalton goes deep down the left sideline for Moore but that pass falls incomplete. 

3rd and 7 from the CAR 38. 

CAR get the ball to start the half, and they begin their drive from their 35. 

Etienne up the middle for a gain of 3 yard gain on first down. 

2nd and 7 from the CAR 38. 

WE ARE BACK IN CAROLINA FOR THE SECOND HALF OF ACTION!!!

The Browns are going to kneel out the clock and that will do it for the first half. 

What a half it was for Shedeur Sanders. Two TDs, and his Browns lead 14-7 after 30 minutes. 

Dalton's pass down the left side falls incomplete and the Panthers will punt with 14 seconds to go in the half. 

4th and 3 from the CAR 35. 

Dalton find Mitchell on the right side for a short gain of 3 yards. 

3rd and 3 from the CAR 34. 

Dalton over the middle for Blackshear for a gain of 4 yards. 

2nd and 6 from the CAR 31. 

Dalton over the right side for Coker and he picks up 12 yards before running out of bounds. 

1st and 10 from the CAR 27. 

CAR get the ball back from their 10 with 55 seconds to go and Dalton hits Evans with a five yard pass over the middle. 

2nd and 5 from the CAR 15. 

Sanders with another bullet to the end zone, and what you don't see in this video is how he sidestepped the blitz, kept his cool and fired a laser to Davis. 

Williams bounces it outside for a gain of 13 yards on the left side after getting bottled up at the line. 

1st and 10 from the CAR 12. 

Williams up the middle for a gain of 7 yards on first down. 

2nd and 3 from the CAR 25. 

WE ARE AT THE TWO MINUTE WARNING!!!

Sanders goes deep down the right sideline for Floriea who pulls in a sick one handed catch for a gain of 29 yards!!!

1st and 10 from the CAR 33!!!

Sanders hts Marshall out of the backfield but he is wrapped up for a loss of 2 yards on the right side. 

2nd and 12 from the CLE 38. 

CLE gets the ball back from their 40 and Sanders has a chance to put his team in the lead with 3:00 to go in the half. 

Dalton hits Mitchell with a short pass to the right sideline but he is wrapped up afer a gain of 9. 

4th and long coming up and the Panthers will punt with 3:20 to go in the first half. 

Dalton goes deep to Coker for a big gain of 33 yards down the middle but a facemask on CAR is going to bring that play back and bring up a 3rd and forever. 

3rd and 20 from the CAR 13. 

Dalton over the middle for Horn for a gain of 5 yards to bring up 3rd and medium. 

3rd and 5 from the CAR 28. 

CAR take over from their 23 and Etienne is stopped on the first down run for no gain. 

2nd and 10 from the CAR 23. 

Sanders under heavy pressure, and he gets around one, and then another and then another, but couldn't find anyone down field so he runs out of bounds for a loss of one. That was about 60 yards of running for his life for a loss of 1. Impressive escapablity for someone they say isn't as mobile as he just showed. 

4th and 14 from the CLE 33. 

Sanders pass over the middle for Larvadian falls incomplete. 

3rd and 13 from the CLE 34. 

Marshall is popped in the backfield for a loss of 3 yards. 

2nd and 13 from the CLE 34. 

Sanders up the middle for a first down on the QB sneak. 

1st and 10 from the CLE 37. 

Sanders rolls off and takes off for a gain of 9 yards on first down. 

2nd and 1 from the CLE 36. 

Sanders with a dart over the middle for Larvadian for a gain of 19 yards and a first down!

1st and 10 from the CLE 27. 

Sanders hit Floriea for a first down but an illegal shift will cancel that play out. 

3rd and 8 from the CLE 8. 

Sanders find Lavardain on the left side for a gain of 4 yards. 

3rd and 3 from the CLE 13. 

Here comes Sanders and the Browns, from their 6 yard line and Marshall picks up 3 yards on the first down run up the middle. 

2nd and 7 from the CLE 9. 

Dalton gets dropped by Okwara for a 10 yard loss and that's the end of the drive for the Panthers. 

4th and long and CAR will punt with 11:26 to go in the first half. 

Dalon finds Horn in the flat and he picks up 2 yards. 

3rd and 9 from the CAR 49. 

Dowdle gets swallowed up in the backfield and a flag flies for holding on CAR. 

2nd and 11 from the CAR 47. 

Dalton finds Horn on the right side for a gain of 9 yards on the slant. 

2nd and 1 from the CLE 43. 

Dalton goes deep down the right side for Dowdle and makes a tough catch for a 20 yard gain and a first down!

1st and 10 from the CAR 48. 

Dalton on the play action looking for McMillan on the right side but he couldn't reel in in heavy traffic. 

3rd and 7 from the CAR 28. 

CAR take over from their 25 yard line. Dowdle gets the handoff up the middle and picks up 3 yards. 

2nd and 7 from the CAR 28. 

WE ARE AT THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER!!!

CAR lead 7-0 but the Browns are knocking on the door. 

Handoff out of the shotgun to Marshall who gets three yards on the left side. 

2nd and Goal from the CAR 6. 

FUMBLE!!!

Etienne muffed the punt and Watson recovered it for the Browns inside the CAR 10!!

1st and Goal from the CAR 9 .

Sanders goes right to Cannella on the out route but he stopped his route and the pass ended up near the sidelines. 

4th and 7 from the CLE 41 and the Browns will punt again. 

Sanders with a short pass to Thrash in the flat and he is swalloed up for a loss of two yards. 

3rd and 7 from the CLE 41. 

Marshall to the left side on the sweep and he picks up 5 yards on first down. 

2nd and 5 from the CLE 43. 

Handoff to Marshall on the right side and he picks up 6 yards to move the chains. 

1st and 10 from the CLE 38. 

Here come Cleveland and Shedeur back on the field, taking over from their 27 yard line. Sanders hits Bates for a gain of 5 yards on first down. 

2nd and 5 from the CLE 32. 

Watch Young roll out of the pocket, keep his calm and point his receiver to where he wanted him. TD Panthers. They lead 7-0. 

Young had McMillan in the end zone and put it on his hands but he couldn't reel in the catch. 

3rd and Goal from the 5. 

Dowdle up the middle on first down and he picks up 3 yards. 

2nd and Goal from the 5. 

Young rolls to the left side and finds Theilen for a gain of 10 yards and another first down. 

1st and Goal from the CLE 8. 

Young hits McMillian on an in route to the left side for a gain of 13 yards and a first down. 

1st and 10 from the CLE 18. 

Dowdle gets the first down handoff up the middle and picks up a yard. 

2nd and 9 from the CLE 31. 

Young's pass over the middle to Theilen was incomplete but CLE jumped offside so CAR get a first down. 

1st and 10 from the CLE 32. 

Handoff to Hubbard on the left side but he is stopped for a loss of a yard. A flag flew after the play for a personal foul on both teams after a little scuffle on both sides. 

3rd and 3 from the CLE 37. 

Hubbard gets the handoff up the middle and he picks up 7 yards on first down. 

2nd and 3 from the CLE 37. 

CAR take over from their 27 and here comes Young again, who goes deep to McMillan down the right sideline for a 29 yard gain!

1st and 10 from the CLE 44!

TURNOVER ON DOWNS!!!

Sanders got pressured right off the snap, and ended up back tracking 20 yards into the backfield. He threw the ball away but to no one and the Browns drive ends on a 4th and short. 

Slant pattern from Thrash who reels the catch in but he's stopped a yard short of the first down marker. 

4th and 1 from the CAR 26 and CLE will go for it. 

Sanders kept the play alive by breaking out of the pocket but couldn't hit Sampson in the flat who had room to roam. 

3rd and 12 from the CAR 37. 

CLE tries to go into their bag of tricks and pull out a reverse but Davis is blown up in the backfield for a loss of 2 yards. 

2nd and 12 from the CAR 37. 

Sanders breaks out of the pocket and takes it for 10 yards and a first down to keep the drive alive. 

1st and 10 from the CAR 35. 

Sampson gets the handoff up the middle and he picks up a yard to bring up 3rd and long. 

3rd and 9 from the CAR 45. 

Sanders takes a shot for Johnson down the right sideline but it falls incomplete. 

2nd and 10 from the CAR 46. 

CLE get the ball back from their 39 and Sheduer hits Willians on the screen pass which he breaks for a nice gain of 15 yards to start the drive. 

1st and 10 from the CAR 46. 

Wright breaks through the line and sacks Young for a two yard loss!

4th and 7 from the CAR 12 and the Panthers go 3 and out. 

Young's pass to Hubbard out of the backfield falls incomplete. 

3rd and 5 from the CAR 14. 

Hubbard gets the handoff up the middle and he picks up 5 yards on first down. 

2nd and 5 from the CAR 14. 

Great punt from Bojorquez to pin the Panthers inside the 10 and here. comes Young and the Panthers offense. 

Sanders hits Davis right at the sticks but he is stopped short of the marker and that's going to bring up 4th and 1. 

Sanders' first pass is incomplete to Johnson on the short right side. 

3rd and 5 from the CLE 27. 

Sampson gets the handoff to the right side and picks up 5 yards on first down. 

2nd and 5 from the CLE 27. 

The Browns start the night with the ball and they take it at their 22. Here comes Shedeur. 

WE ARE UNDERWAY FROM CHARLOTTE! 

Browns QB history 

The Cleveland Browns have QB issues. That is well documented and isn’t going to surprise anyone. But this isn’t a new thing in Cleveland. Try and think of one quarterback who has had a successful tenure in a Browns jersey. You can’t. There is a pattern, and a tradition of terrible quarterbacks that have failed to establish themselves as a franchise QB, but Browns fans are hoping that one of the QBs in the packed QB room will bring them out of this slump. From 1999 to 2020 the Browns had 40 different players start at QB. Since then they got rid of Baker Mayfield, and have gone through Case Keenum, Nick Mullens, Jacoby Brissett, Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, P.J. Walker, Jeff Driskel, Jameis Winston and Bailey Zappe. When will the QB carrousel end in Cleveland? Browns fans are hoping that one of the many QBs on the roster this year will bring an end to the seemingly endless heartbreak. 

QB situation for the Browns 

The Browns quarterback room is packed right now. Obviously that won’t be the case come Week 1, but right now the Browns have veteran Joe Flacco who won’t be playing tonight because he’s a 41 year old vet and he’s earned the right not to have to play in the preseason. Kenny Pickett was brought in from Philly after an unsuccessful start to his career in Pittsburgh. He’s everyone’s favorite to be the starter and a potential QB of the future if things go well, but he’s hurt so he won’t be playing tonight. The rookie QB Cleveland took before Sheduer, Dillon Gabriel, is also hurt so we won’t get to see him play. Then there is Deshaun Watson who is recovering from second straight ruptured achilles, and he is not going to be available until late in the season at the very soonest. Coach Kevin Stefanski has his work cut out for him, but we as fans have the luxury of sitting back and seeing who rises above the rest in the lead up games before Week 1.

Garrett on Shedeur 

No one outside of Cleveland has really seen much of what’s been going on with Shedeur so we have to take the people who are on the inside’s word for how the rookie QB is progressing. No one better to trust than Myles Garrett who is the leader in the locker room and he heaped praise on Shedeur. “I mean, he’s funny, he’s optimistic, lighthearted, but he works hard,” Garrett said. “He takes it seriously, his craft and he’s watching what the others are doing and doing it his own way, in which only he can. So, looking forward to see him on these preseason games and how he manages the offense. But I think he looks good, but all the guys look good right now.”

Star watch Panthers 

Bryce Young is going to get a few series at least tonight, so Panthers fans buckle up. He ended last year on a high, but it’s been hot and cold for the former Alabama QB since his arrival two year ago. He seemed like he was on the way out after the first couple of weeks of last season when he lost his job, but head coach Dave Canales gave him one last chance and he took it and ran. His numbers were less than impressive but he did spent a good chunk of the season on the bench so his 2,403 yards, 15 TDs and 9 INTs weren’t terrible especially since most of that came in the final half of the season when the Panthers won three of their four games. It’s a new chapter for Young, who is the starting QB in Charlotte. The question is, how long will it last? 

Star watch Browns 

All eyes are on Shedeur Sanders tonight. It’s must seem like forever ago for him that he was considered one of the best QBs in the 2025 class and a certain top 10 pick in the Draft. A series of bad decisions and alleged bad interviews plummeted him down the draft board and he ended up getting taken in the 5th round. This was the most accurate QB in college football last year, completing 74% of his passes, throwing for 4,134 yards and 37 TDs with just 10 INTs. There has been a media storm surrounding Sanders lately, but now it’s time to show that he is a much better QB than his draft selection would tell you. He’s out to prove a point, but more importantly he’s out to secure a roster spot. He’s going to get a lot of reps tonight, and he’ll have not better opportunity. 

Panthers last year 

The Panthers went into last season with little hope and for good reason. They weren’t a very good team, and it showed from the start. They got blown out in the first two weeks, and QB Bryce Young got benched in Week 3 after scoring just 13 points in the first two games of the season. Andy Dalton came in and carried Carolina to their first win of the season in his first start against the LV Raiders. The joy wouldn’t last long. They lost their next five games and Dalton lost his job too. Young was put back in as a last resort of sorts, and he thrived. He won back to back games, in Week 9 and 10 before going through a gauntlet of a schedule. He played well against the Chiefs, Bucs, Eagles and Cowboys but the Panthers didn’t win any of those games. He ended strong by winning two of the final three games of the season, both overtime wins to keep his job for his coming campaign. 

Browns last year

It was more of the same for Cleveland last year who struggled from start to finish and ended the season as one of the worst teams in the league. They lost their opener to the Cowboys in Week 1, but beat the Jags the following week as Deshaun Watson got to start a season healthy and not suspended. Things went south for Watson and the Browns as they lost the next five games and slipped to 1-6. Then Watson went down with an achilles injury that ended his season. In stepped Jameis Winston who led Cleveland to a shock victory in his first start as a Brown. That put a band aid on the wound for a little while but the Browns would only win one more game for the rest of the season, finishing 3-14 with the fifth pick in the draft. 

We are live from Charlotte  

Hello everyone and welcome to Bank of America Stadium where the Carolina Panthers start a brand new campaign, looking to build on an encouraging end to last year. Bryce Young and the rest of the Panthers starters will play tonight, how much remains to be seen, but coach Dave Canales has said that his first teamers will get a series, or tow or a few. The Browns are starting Sheduer Sanders as a couple of their QBs have injury problems to start the preseason slate. That’s the top story coming into tonight for Cleveland fans but they will want to take a look at all of their rookies and some of the fringe guys looking to make the roster. 

Browns vs. Panthers live  

The opening week of the NFL preseason continues tonight from Charlotte and we have one of the headliners of the last few months making his NFL debut for the Cleveland Browns. Shedeur Sanders has been in the news quite a bunch lately, but tonight he will put all the talk, and all of the criticism behind him and do what he does best. Sanders and the Browns take on the Carolina Panthers and AS English will be with you all night providing live coverage, stats, highlights and analysis of one of the biggest preseason games this year.