Panthers vs Bills Predictions / Picks / Preview

The Carolina Panthers and the Buffalo Bills play their first preseason game of the year against each other this Thursday. There are positional battles that have yet to resolve for both teams, so this game should help clarify things for them. Perhaps the most interesting one is the quarterback competition in Buffalo, though, the backup job in Carolina is also worth keeping a close eye on.

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Betting Preview for the Carolina Panthers vs Buffalo Bills NFL Preseason Week 2 Game on August 9, 2018

Where: New Era Field, Orchard Park

When: Thursday, August 9, 2018, 7:00 PM ET

Line: Carolina Panthers (+2.5) vs Buffalo Bills (-2.5) – view all 2018 NFL lines

TV Broadcast: NFL Game Pass/ WCCB

Betting on the Carolina Panthers

The Panthers will enter the 2018 season still generally viewed as a Super Bowl contender. Cam Newton remains as the leader of this team despite Carolina’s failure to win the NFC South in each of the past two seasons, though, it’s possible that he won’t even see a single snap against Buffalo. In that case, the focus should be on the backup quarterbacks. With Derek Anderson gone, the backup job under center is up for grabs for Garrett Gilbert, Taylor Heinicke, and Kyle Allen. The offensive line will also use this preseason match to further develop chemistry, especially after the departure of All-Pro guard Andrew Norwell, who’s now with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Tyler Larsen is expected to take over Tyler Larsen, so keep an eye out on him in this game. Also worth focusing on is rookie cornerback Donte Jackson, who’s been reportedly doing fantastic at training camp. The Panthers are 2-2-1 ATS in their last five preseason games.

Betting on the Buffalo Bills

Josh Allen is expected to get his first taste of football in a real and official NFL game setup this Thursday. The keys to the Bills offense might largely be in the hands of Allen, beginning next season, and granted that he’ll be facing a bunch of second and third stringers against Carolina, this is his time to show much progress he’s already made this offseason. In three seasons for the Wyoming Cowboys in college, Allen passed for 5,066 yards and 44 touchdowns against 21 interceptions for a 56.2 percent accuracy. Having said that, A.J. McCarron is out to prove he’s more than just a transitional quarterback. He is here to compete for that starting job with Nathan Peterman also in the mix. McCarron spent his first four years in the NFL in the shadows of Andy Dalton in Cincy before signing a two-year deal with Buffalo back in March. The under is 6-1 in Buffalo’s last seven preseason games.