The Carolina Panthers’ preseason got off to a lively start last Thursday night in Canton, where they edged the Arizona Cardinals 33-30 in the Hall of Fame Game. That one had a little more juice than most August exhibitions. The next stop in Buffalo figures to be less wild, but there’s still plenty to watch with both teams expected to give their starters some run.
Carolina’s first series didn’t produce much. The Panthers went three-and-out after a -1 yard rush from Jonathon Brooks, a 6-yard catch by Tommy Tremble and an incompletion by Bryce Young on third-and-5. The drive ended with a punt that went into the end zone for a touchback.
Buffalo answered with the first points of the day. The Bills moved the ball with completions of 21 and 33 yards to Khalil Shakir and DJ Moore, and Carolina’s defense briefly slowed things down when Jaelan Phillips got home for a sack and then added pressure on the next snap. Even so, Buffalo settled for a 33-yard field goal and took a 3-0 lead with 11:22 left in the first quarter.
Panthers vs. Bills is set for Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026 at 1:00 p.m.
ET from Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y. The game will air on the Panthers Television Network, with Anish Shroff handling play-by-play alongside Steve Smith Sr. and Jake Delhomme as analysts, and Carla Metts on the sideline.
Carolina’s preseason schedule also includes Week 2 at the Jacksonville Jaguars on Friday, Aug. 21 at 7:30 p.m. ET and Week 3 at home against the Houston Texans on Friday, Aug. 28 at 7:00 p.m. ET.
In Other News...
Panthers Offense Gave Fans Plenty To Worry About Saturday
Saturdays preseason game against the Bills offered the kind of early look the Panthers would rather forget on offense. The starting unit was on the field for just nine plays and never got a conversion going, with limited yardage and an overall rhythm that never really materialized. Missing Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt along the offensive line didnt help, and the group was forced to deal with pressure in the pocket and little room to work on the ground.
There were some unavoidable growing pains with new faces getting their first NFL snaps up front, but the bigger concern was how disconnected the whole operation looked. The play-calling never found a groove, and the absence of Chuba Hubbard only added to the questions about backfield depth. For a team trying to build some confidence heading into the season, it was the sort of showing that leaves more worry than reassurance. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Preseason Opener Exposed An Early Concern Behind Robert Hunt And Damien Lewis
The Panthers preseason opener against the Bills did not do much to ease concerns about the depth behind their starting guards, and the spotlight quickly shifted to the backup options trying to hold up the middle of the line. Brady Christensen was back on the field after a torn Achilles, which gives his uneven debut some context, while Chandler Zavala also had a rough night as Carolina tried to sort out what it has behind Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt.
For a team that wants to feel better about its protection and run game, the bigger issue is how fragile the guard picture could look if either starter misses time. Analysts Mike Kaye and Jared Feinberg both pointed to the same basic problem: the Panthers need more from the players tasked with backing up Lewis and Hunt, because the drop-off was hard to ignore in the preseason opener. [Read more 🡒]
Darren Waller Just Put One Panthers Offensive Question In Focus
The Panthers have added a familiar name to a position that has not been central to their passing game in recent seasons, signing veteran tight end Darren Waller as they continue reshaping the offense around new coordinator Brad Idzik. Waller brings a proven resume, including a Pro Bowl nod in 2020, and arrives as a player who has already moved through several NFL stops before landing in Carolina.
What makes the move interesting is less the name value than the fit. The Panthers have used tight ends in only a modest way lately, so Wallers presence naturally raises the question of how much of a role Idzik wants to carve out for him. If Carolina is going to get a real boost from the signing, the answer to that usage question will matter as much as anything Waller has done before. [Read more 🡒]