The Buffalo Bills‘ trip to Caroline to face the Panthers was billed as a banana skin game, but Sean McDermott’s team strolled to a 40-9 win at Bank of America Stadium.
Josh Allen, after a rough first half, settled in the second to finish going 12 of 19 for 163 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for two touchdowns. Khalil Shakir was the best of the passing weapons, posting 88 yards and a touchdown from his six receptions, but the day belonged to someone else.
Running back James Cook obliterated the Panthers’ defense, rushing for a whopping 216 yards and two touchdowns from his 19 carries as No. 4 did as he pleased, averaging an incredible 11.4 yards per rush.
And yeah, Allen knows what sort of game James had.
“I thought it was complementary, James [Cook] is playing outstanding right now,” Allen said. “Our O-line’s giving him a lot of holes, but he’s just making some unbelievable cuts and outrunning people, doing what James Cook does.”
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Bills back on winner’s list
The Bills knew that they needed this win, and the two-game losing streak has some questioning their validity as an AFC power.
But scoring 40 points on the road, having 410 yards of total offense, going seven of 12 on third down, while the defense managed seven sacks, while also grabbing an interception and forcing two fumbles.
This feels like Buffalo’s “get right” game, and yes, the first half was wobbly, despite the 19-3 scoreline. The Bills flexed their muscles in the second half, with McDermott’s team now moving to 5-3 on the year.
It wasn’t the best we have seen from Buffalo, but this game was more about just getting the win and getting those positive vibes flowing, and in Carolina, it did just that.
