Bills Vs. Panthers: Josh Allen OUT; How To Watch
The Buffalo Bills' offense barely needed Josh Allen in order to demolish opposition defenses so far this preseason, so what's one more game without him?
With 69 points already to their name against the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos, the Case Keenum/Matt Barkley-led Bills head to Bank Of America Stadium looking to close out a successful preseason with a third successive victory.
They'll be leading a Bills team that head coach Sean McDermott said will be without the majority of its starters.
The Carolina Panthers, however, are reportedly set to play most of their starters, although exactly how much time they will see is as yet unknown.
This presents a good learning opportunity for both the Bills' backups and their coaches, seeing how they fare against starting caliber players.
Speaking of Bills backups, some names to watch out for include a number of impressive rookies.
Undrafted running back Raheem Blackshear (with "juice'') has been a real surprise this summer, showing productivity as a dual threat back with 69 rushing yards, 81 receiving yards, and two touchdowns to date. Despite this, he has a challenge ahead of him if he's to find a spot in a crowded Bills running back room.
Another rookie battling it out at a crowded position is wide receiver, Khalil Shakir. The fifth-round receiver has led Buffalo in receiving yards in both of their preseason games with 151 yards and looks a lock to make the cut.
Defensively there has been a great deal of talk surrounding rookie corners Kaiir Elam and Christian Benford who have both impressed this preseason.
While neither is slated to start come Week 1, their performances against Carolina's starters could go a long way to helping them push for reps early in the season.
And when it comes to pushing for reps, veteran defensive end Shaq Lawson took a step forward last week against Denver in staking a claim for a bigger role on Leslie Frazier's defense.
The 28-year-old was here, there, and everywhere recording a tackle for a loss, defended pass, and a quarterback hit as he rolled back the years and showed some of his former best.
WHAT: Buffalo Bills (2-0) at. Carolina Panthers (1-1)
WHERE: Bank Of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina (75,000)
WHEN: Friday, August 26, 2022, 7 p.m. ET
TELEVISION: WIVB + WROC (Buffalo), NFL+ (Subscription)
RADIO: Bills Radio Network - WGR550 (Buffalo)
Betting via SI SportsBook
SPREAD: Bills +6.5
MONEYLINE: Panthers -275, Bills +225
