Preseason games are typically used to decide position battles and get players live game reps. However, this contest will be a little different after Buffalo Bills receiver Kelvin Benjamin was critical of former teammate and Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. In a selfish rant, Benjamin said he would have been more successful had he been with a team that had a more accurate passer. It’s never a good idea to give a team locker room fodder, and Benjamin just woke up his opponent, turning a meaningless Week 1 preseason game into something that could be more interesting.
This preseason Week 1 game takes place on Thursday, August 9, 2018, at 7 p.m. ET at New Era Field.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Carolina Panthers +2.5
Buffalo Bills -2.5
Over/Under 34
Odds Analysis
If you’re looking for an edge in a preseason game, the Panthers may have gotten it with the comments made by Benjamin. The Bills opened as a 2.5-point favorite thanks to having the game in their yard, but expect the visitors to have a little more fire after their star QB was ripped. The total opened at a very average 34.
Quarterback Rotation
Coming off an injury and surgery during last offseason, Newton didn’t play in last year’s preseason opener. With a new-look offense there’s a good chance we see him for at least a series. The Panthers need to work out their backup situation with Derek Anderson no longer around. The competition is between Garrett Gilbert, Taylor Heinecke and undrafted rookie Kyle Allen.
Heinecke is the only one of the three to throw a pass in a regular season NFL game, so the inexperience at the backup position is glaring. The Panthers may still make a move to acquire another QB, but for the time being it’s up to those three to figure it out.
There are concerns at the quarterback spot in Buffalo as well, but they involve the starter. A.J. McCarron is penciled in at the spot, but the hope is that top draft pick Josh Allen shows enough to eventually become the starter. The Bills think that’s the case or they wouldn’t have used the seventh overall pick to get him.
Nathan Peterman has become the forgotten man in the competition, but he’s still in the mix. The Bills have several options, but none have been a full-time starter at the NFL level. McCarron and Peterman will get a bulk of the snaps in the opener with Allen getting some time on the field in the second half. While it’s a big preseason for Allen, the other guys also have plenty to prove.
Coaching History
Sean McDermott got a pass after leading the Bills to the postseason last year, ending what was the longest active playoff drought in the NFL. We didn’t expect that after the Bills went 1-3 during the preseason with the only victory coming behind Peterman in the final exhibition game.
For the past several seasons the Panthers had the top of their depth chart settled and preseason was used for getting game action. That’s the case again with the exception of the backup quarterback and the secondary, where rookie Donte Jackson will look to secure a starting cornerback spot.
Free ATS Pick
What otherwise would have been a boring preseason opener got a little spice with Benjamin going off on his former quarterback. Both sides tried to downplay the events, but the words are out there and you know the Panthers are going to try and prove their QB is money, and the way to do that is to thump the Bills.
There is more history between the clubs that makes this an interesting matchup. McDermott was Carolina’s defensive coordinator for six seasons, directing the top unit in the NFL in 2015 when the Panthers reached the Super Bowl. Buffalo also brought in Star Lotulelei to help bolster their defensive line. It’s tough to see a lot of points being scored with the quarterback situation on both sides up in the air, and we’re not going to see a lot of Newton. But Carolina is going to stand up for Newton, and the best way to do that is beat the Bills on the field.
NFL Odds: Panthers 20, Bills 16
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