Carolina Panthers shutout Buffalo Bills – Preseason Week 3 game thread
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ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WHEC) – The Buffalo Bills’ 2022 preseason ends on the road in Carolina. Refresh our game thread throughout for updates and live tweets from Jackson Roberts and Mat Mlodzinski.
Tonight’s game was delayed and kicked off at 7:37 p.m.
Elam stops Panthers on first possession
Carolina returned the opening kickoff to their own 24-yard-line.
Kaiir Elam was able to break up a Baker Mayfield pass on 3rd down to force the Panthers to punt.
Bills go three-and-out on first possession, Matt Barkley punts
The Bills had a similar start to their first drive, as rookie running back James Cook couldn’t pick up any yards on a rush and a reception. A Cook penalty forced the Bills to punt on fourth down.
Barkley, the Bills third string quarterback, has punting duties as Matt Araiza is not playing due to a lawsuit filed against him accuses him of rape.
Panthers strike first with a Baker Mayfield passing TD
Carolina takes a 7-0 lead after multiple third down conversions kept alive an 12-play drive.
Baker Mayfield ended it with a two yard pass to D’Onta Foreman in the endzone.
Bills drive ends in booming Barkley punt
Buffalo’s second offensive drive was a bit more successful.
Cook had his best run of the night, going nine yards up the middle. Later on the drive, Jake Kumerow hauled in a catch for 14 yards, setting the Bills up for a short 4th down conversion try.
Rookie Tanner Owen had a false start, forcing them to punt, but Barkley dazzled, pinning the Panthers inside the 10-yard-line.
Case Keenum adds to preseason interception total
After the Panthers punted for the second time of the game, Keenum threw his third interception of the preseason.
Panthers jump out to 14-0 lead
Carolina started on the Buffalo side of midfield, setting up Mayfield with great field position.
It didn’t take long, as Mayfield found Shi Smith on the third play of the drive, for a 19-yard TD.
Bills 19-play drive ends with zero points
A laundry list of a drive turned into zip as Buffalo couldn’t convert on fourth and short near the goal line.
Duke Johnson started off the drive with back to back rushes for 10 and 9 yards respectively. He did leave to be check on an injury.
Also on the drive, Isaiah Hodgins made a head-turning catch, pinning the ball on his defender’s back.
Johnson would later return to the game and the drive ended in zero points as he was stuffed trying to go up the middle on 4th & 1 at the Carolina 8-yard-line.
The Panthers took over with a quarterback change before halftime.
The Panthers take a 14-0 lead into halftime.
Panthers extend lead to 21-0
Barkley wasn’t able to lead the Bills to much as they opened the half getting stalled on fourth down from midfield.
Sam Darnold and the Panthers took over on the Buffalo 45-yard-line and cashed in as Darnold ran it in for a score.
Darnold went 2-for-3 on the drive and Johnny Hekker made the extra point as Panthers kicker Zane Gonzalez went down with an injury.
Bills CB Cam Lewis was also hurt on the drive.
Neither team scores in 4th quarter; Panthers win 21-0
Carolina shut out the Bills as neither team put up any points in the final quarter of play.
Now, the clock ticks on who will make the 53 man roster and who will be sent home.