Josh Allen barely needed a full quarter to give Bills fans a taste of what this season might look like.
In Buffalo’s preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers, Allen was on the field for just two series, but the snap count didn’t matter much. The quarterback looked sharp, connected quickly with his new weapon, and finished the night with the kind of easy rhythm that gets a fan base buzzing before the real games even begin.
The play that really lit up the new Highmark Stadium came on Buffalo’s second drive. Facing 2nd and 8 just past midfield, Allen sold the playaction fake to James Cook, then found D.J.
Moore with Carolina closing fast. Moore caught it, turned the corner, and ripped off 32 yards.
It was the kind of completion Bills fans have been waiting to see - the quarterback and his new receiver already showing signs of being on the same page.
Moore ended the game with 3 catches for 61 yards, a strong first look at the receiver Buffalo added in the offseason to upgrade a position group that needed help. Allen, meanwhile, went 6-8 for 111 yards and a touchdown.
That touchdown came on Buffalo’s second series and had the vintage Allen feel all over it. Once again using playaction, he rolled out on a bootleg, extended the play by juking Trevis Gipson, and then fired a beautiful throw to Keon Coleman for the first touchdown in the new Highmark Stadium. It was the kind of improvisational strike that reminds everyone exactly who Allen is when he’s rolling.
Coleman’s involvement adds another layer to the excitement. Fans still remember the awkward press conference after Sean McDermott was fired, when Terry Pegula pinned the draft selection of Coleman on the coaching staff rather than the front office. So for Allen to hit Coleman for that first touchdown, early in the preseason, sent a clear message about how the quarterback sees him.
It’s only one preseason game, and only two series at that, so nobody should get carried away. But the early chemistry between Allen and Moore, plus the quick connection with Coleman, is exactly the kind of early signal Buffalo wanted. If this is the beginning, the Bills may have something dangerous brewing.
Allen has been working to build that chemistry with Moore throughout camp, and if these are just the opening notes, November could sound a lot louder. For now, though, the takeaway is simple: Allen looked locked in, Buffalo’s new receiver looks like a fit, and the rest of the AFC East has every reason to pay attention.
In Other News...
Josh Allen Just Turned A Classic Bills Joke Into Something Bigger
Josh Allen has long been tied to New Era through the kind of playful Buffalo tradition that turns a running joke into part of the teams identity. Now the quarterback is front and center in a New Era commercial for the companys 2026 NFL Sidelines Collection, appearing alongside Matthew Stafford and Micah Parsons as the brand leans into a bigger NFL push with one of its most recognizable faces.
Allens role with the company has grown well beyond a standard endorsement, and his connection to the Bills cap culture has taken on a more personal edge through a charitable project at Oishei Childrens Hospital. He wore caps designed by patients there, then helped put them into an auction that supported a pediatric care fund, adding another layer to a partnership that keeps finding ways to matter beyond the field. [Read more 🡒]
Buffalo Just Earned The Ultimate NFL Fan Bragging Right
Buffalo fans have long acted like they were in a class by themselves, and now theres a new ranking that gives that boast some outside validation. Nielsens inaugural NFL Fandom Index measured engagement across 30 league markets using factors like TV ratings, game attendance, merchandise purchases and social media activity, and Buffalo came out on top with an average score of 208.
The gap is striking enough to reinforce what everyone around the team already knows: Bills support runs deep and shows up in more ways than one. Kansas City, Green Bay/Appleton, Cincinnati and Philadelphia also landed near the top, but Buffalo stood alone at No. 1 while bigger markets like Los Angeles and New York sat near the bottom, a reminder that passion does not always follow size. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Open Practice Put One Roster Concern Back In Focus
The Bills got a rare showcase at their new Highmark Stadium on Friday, drawing more than 41,000 fans to an open practice that doubled as a reminder of how quickly training camp can shift from celebration to concern. It was a useful step in the buildup to the joint session with the Cleveland Browns and the next preseason game, and it also offered a look at a secondary that has been trying to get healthy while the roster around it settles in.
Maxwell Hairston and Cole Bishop were back on the field, a welcome sight for a defense still sorting through its early camp availability. Even so, the absence list was long enough to keep the focus on depth elsewhere, with Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman and Ed Oliver among the notable names sitting out because of injuries. [Read more 🡒]