Deshaun Watson’s late TD and two-point conversion lift Browns to 21-18 win over Carolina Panthers
CLEVELAND, Sept. 27, 2026 — Deshaun Watson engineered a late comeback and completed a two-point conversion pass to Denzel Boston as the Cleveland Browns rallied to beat the Carolina Panthers 21-18 on Sunday. Watson capped an 8-play, 65-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Harold Fannin Jr. with 1:48 remaining. The two-point pass to Boston gave the Browns the lead and they held on for the victory. Watson earned cheers from Cleveland fans.
Carolina trailed 10-3 at halftime after Watson connected with Fannin Jr. for a 2-yard touchdown late in the second quarter. Panthers kicker Ryan Fitzgerald kept Carolina within striking distance, converting field goals of 35, 41, 53 and 37 yards to account for 12 points. Cleveland also got a 48-yard field goal from Andre Szmyt in the second quarter. The halftime score reflected a low-scoring game that featured long field goals and a late touchdown.
The Panthers seized the lead in the fourth quarter on a 6-play, 72-yard drive capped by an 8-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Young to John Metchie III with 4:25 remaining, but the two-point run attempt failed. Cleveland answered with the 8-play, 65-yard march that ended with Watson finding Fannin Jr. for the game-winning 14-yard score. The Browns then converted the two-point try to Boston to take the final lead.
Andre Szmyt supplied two long field goals, drilling 48- and 45-yard attempts earlier in the game, and Fannin Jr. finished with two touchdown receptions, from 2 and 14 yards. Carolina produced one touchdown and four field goals, showing the offense could move but struggling to finish drives. Drive lengths and scoring plays are from the ESPN game log.
NFL Sports Blog Take
Carolina’s offense managed only one touchdown and relied heavily on Fitzgerald’s four field goals to stay in the game, while the defense surrendered a late, efficient drive that decided the outcome. The Panthers showed the ability to move the ball on their 72-yard TD drive but could not convert the two-point try that would have extended their lead. Carolina will need better red-zone finishing and a defensive stop on late drives to avoid similar losses.