Pick details
| MATCHUP | Carolina Panthers | Buffalo Bills |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 1-0 | 0-0 |
| Spread | +3 -115 | -3 -105 |
| Moneyline | +130 | -155 |
| Total | Over 38.5 (-112) | Under 38.5 (-108) |
| Where | Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, NY | |
| When | Saturday, August 15, 2026 | |
| Time | 01:00 PM EDT | |
| TV | WIVB | |
Carolina Panthers Betting Preview
The Panthers are coming off a last-second win over the Cardinals in the Hall of Fame game. It was a back-and-forth game that ended with a game-winning rushing touchdown from Haynes King as time expired. The Panthers have still lost 8 of their last 10 preseason games.
In the victory, King had 180 passing yards and two touchdowns while Miles Davis rushed for 53 yards on 4 carries. Jimmy Horn Jr. and John Metchie III combined for 82 yards on 7 catches, and Ja’seem Reed had 2 catches and a touchdown. Zakee Wheatley led the Panthers with 8 tackles, Nick Hampton had 1 sack, and Elijah Garcia had 1 tackle for loss.
Buffalo Bills Betting Preview
The Bills have made the playoffs in each of the last 7 years and begin the Joe Brady era. Brady has been with the Bills since 2022 and was most recently the offensive coordinator. He’s the youngest head coach in the league.
Offensively, the Bills are in fantastic shape as Josh Allen is one of the best quarterbacks in the league and James Cook has proven to be a reliable workhorse at running back. DJ Moore is a nice addition at wide receiver, and Dalton Kincaid is one of the better tight ends. An offensive line anchored by Dion Dawkins and O’Cyrus Torrence should hold up.
Defensively, the Bills will switch to a 3-4 under defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, and the pass rush added Bradley Chubb. He should fit in nicely with the return of Greg Rousseau and Ed Oliver. The pass rush of this Bills defense should be a strength, but it does usually take time to adjust to a scheme switch, so be patient.
Buffalo Bills vs Carolina Panthers Prediction
Those who have followed me over the years know my handicapping in preseason is all about the quarterback position. The rest of the positions are toss-ups, and you have no idea who is going to play nd for how long. The one constant thing is decent quarterback play and the guys who can put points on the board.
This would be appealing if King wasn’t injured with what he showed in the HOF game, but he’s sidelined with a hamstring issue. That means Kenny Pickett and Kyle Trask. Uh, no thanks. I doubt we see Josh Allen in this spot, but you can do worse than a good portion of Kyle Allen, who has 19 career NFL starts and has thrown 26 touchdowns. A vet who has had some success in this league and has seen pretty much everything, bouncing from team to team. I’ll lay the field goal with the Bills at home in their new stadium, where there should be high energy.
Randy Chambers's Pick: Buffalo Bills -3
