Panthers-Bills live updates: Buffalo forces turnover, scores late to finish Carolina

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The Carolina Panthers’ chances to win another game this season aren’t great. They began the day as 14-point underdogs against Buffalo and won’t be favored in their final three games after this — the Buccaneers at home and then at New Orleans and Tampa Bay.

The Bills (7-6), as up and down as their season has been, are still led by one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in Josh Allen and are playing for playoff positioning.

Meanwhile, the Panthers (5-8) are trying to figure how to salvage something from what is on track to be their third straight five-win season. The addition of Cam Newton, while exciting, hasn’t manifested into a victory in any of the three games he started. The offensive line still can’t protect the quarterback or get push to create holes for running back Chuba Hubbard (Christian McCaffrey is out for the rest of the year). And the defense, once one of the best in the NFL, has become porous.

It hasn’t been the best year for pro football in Charlotte, but the Panthers still have a 0.4% chance to make the playoffs, according to FiveThirtyEight. So that’s a reason to watch, right?

The Observer has two journalists in Orchard Park, N.Y., for today’s 1 p.m. Panthers-Bills game, including beat reporter Jonathan M. Alexander. We’ll have you covered here for live updates throughout the afternoon on this page (refresh for the latest) and expanded coverage on CharlotteObserver.com after the game.

What’s the Panthers-Bills score right now?

Insult to insult: Bills 31, Panthers 14

Josh Allen delivers a dagger for the Bills, a TD strike to Gabriel Davis in the waning minutes to run the score to 31-14 in favor of the Bills. Clinical.

Big sack likely ends Panthers hopes

Cam Newton went down twice on that drive near midfield, once on second down to force 3rd and 18, and then again on fourth down to turn the ball back over the Buffalo. The sacks both came from

Panthers TD, Newton to Abdullah

Here come the Panthers. With 11 minutes to play, Carolina found the end zone for the second time today, a Newton to Ameer Abdullah completion for 23 yards — the longest completion of the day for Newton. The two-point run was no good, so it remains a two-score game. Bills 24, Panthers 14.

Another failed Carolina fourth down

Without their kicker, the Panthers have been a disaster in the red zone. After driving inside the 10, they again had to go for it and turned the ball back over to the Bills on downs.

Buffalo extends lead: Bills 24, Panthers 8

Gabriel Davis helps the Bills turn a sputtering drive into a touchdown on a rifle of a pass from Josh Allen, who fired the ball over the middle into the back of the end zone. This after a questionnable call to the Panthers for some hijinks along the sideline after Allen scrambled into the Panthers bench. Bills 24, Panthers 8.

Panthers hold off Allen, Bills

Josh Allen had a great scamble run to put the Bills in Carolina territory early in the second half, but it went for naught after a bad drop on a susequent play. Buffalo squanders its first possession of the second half.

Bills tack on FG: Bills 17, Panthers 8, halftime

A good drive in the two-minute drill by Buffalo ends with a Tyler Bass field goal from 26 yards out, and we’ve hit the half. Bills 17, Panthers 8.

Panthers on the board: Bills 14, Panthers 8

The Panthers turned good field position after the Chinn interception into points, and crawled back into a game of which it appeared they were losing control. The key play, before the score, came on the first play of the drive, a 30-yard flip from Newton to Robby Anderson, who raced around the left end to set Carolina up at the Bills 7. From the 7, Newton handed to Anderson for 3 yards, and then kept it himself around left end for a TD. With no kicker, the Panthers are in a bit of disarray, and Matt Rhule has to burn his final timeout of the first half. It worked, though... DJ Moore with a great catch. Bills 14, Panthers 8.

Big defensive play

Jeremy Chinn drops into a zone coverage and snares the ball at its leak from Allen, intended for Stefon Diggs. That set the Panthers up with their best starting field position of the day, starting at the Bills 37. Big play, big results?

Another TD, Bills — Diggs from Allen: Buffalo 14, Carolina 0

Josh Allen hits Stefon Diggs on the right side. Eighth TD of the season for Diggs and the Bills threaten to pull away here in the second after marching halfway down the field in 5 plays, going 57 yards in 2:36. The final play was officially a 16-yard toss from Allen to Diggs.

Another punt for Panthers

The Panthers can’t dig out of their own end again after the Bills kickoff following their touchdown. That leads to the busiest special-teamer of the night doing again what he does best: Lachlan Edwards booting the ball, punting the ball inside the Bills 30. A good return from Marquez Stevenson, though, sets the Bills back up near midfield.

Devin Singletary TD: Buffalo 7, Carolina 0

The Bills call a cross-action run with Josh Allen and the blockers leading one way, and Devin Singletary scampering the other for a TD, 16 yards to the house. The TD is Singletary’s first of the season, and caps a drive on which the Bills got their first first down of the afternoon. Bills 7, Panthers 0.

Scoreless after one quarter

The Bills finally got a first down against what has been a relentless Panthers defense, and move deep into Carolina territory on an Allen completion over the middle. But, the quarter ends with no scoring. On to the second we go.

Offense poor again

For the second time, the Panthers attempt a fourth down play, this time right at midfield. And again they fail to convert. Bills take over at the 50. At least the Panthers picked up a first down on that drive.

Defense stout again

Two Buffalo drives, still no first downs for the Bills. Key on that sequence was a sack from Brian Burns to force a 3rd and 12. Panthers take over at their own 26.

No kicker, no kicking game

On fourth down from the Bills 24, the Panthers were all but forced to go for it with no available kicker. It would have been a 41-yard field goal attempt, instead it was a poor pass from Newton that fell incomplete. The Bills took over at their own 24. Newton has started 2-of-5 for 10 yards.

Three-and-out, Part 2

The Bills didn’t have any better luck on their first try with the ball. Josh Allen was sacked on a long third-down try and coughed up the ball. The Panthers had a great chance to recover, but let it bounce to a Bills lineman, instead. That was Brian Burns with the chance for a scoop-and-score.

Three-and-out

The Panthers’ first drive sputtered quickly, but the team’s sudden lack of a kicker hasn’t come into play yet, since they received the opening kick and then punted. Lachlan Edwards can still do that. Bills took over at their own 40.

Coin toss

Buffalo wins the toss and elects to defer until the second half. The Panthers will receive the opening kickoff.

Panthers kicker injured

Carolina Panthers kicker Zane Gonzalez suffered an injury to his quad during warm-ups Sunday ahead of their game against the Bills at Highmark Stadium. He had to be helped off the field by long snapper J.J. Jansen and a trainer.

He is the only kicker on roster.

More information on the injury can be found here.

Who is starting at QB for the Panthers?

Carolina’s plan was to start Cam Newton at quarterback today but he won’t get all of the snaps. Coach Matt Rhule will use a two-quarterback system against the Bills (and likely for the rest of the season) that will also feature backup PJ Walker.

Walker started and played all but eight offensive snaps in the Panthers’ last win — Nov. 14 at Arizona — in a game when Cam Newton stole the headlines. Look for him to get plenty of action today against Buffalo.

Inactive players for Panthers and Bills

Panthers: WR Shi Smith, CB A.J. Bouye, LB Kamal Martin, OL Deonte Brown, OL Trent Scott, DE Darryl Johnson.

Bills: WR Emmanuel Sanders, RB Zack Moss, DE A.J. Epenesa.

What radio station is the Panthers game on?

Here is a list of Panthers Radio Network affiliates to listen to the Panthers vs. Bills Week 15 NFL game.

What channel is the Panthers vs Bills game on?

Today’s 1 p.m. kickoff between the Carolina Panthers and Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., is being broadcast on FOX. If you’re watching in Charlotte, that means WJZY-Fox 46. The Panthers-Bills NFL game can be streamed online with a subscription to YouTube TV or Hulu+ Live TV, so long as you are viewing from inside the broadcast footprint — a map of which can be found below via 506 Sports.

This story was originally published December 19, 2021 at 11:39 AM.