Josh Allen provided an early glimpse of what the Buffalo Bills’ offense could look like this season, leading scoring drives during Saturday’s preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers at the new Highmark Stadium.
Allen guided Buffalo to a field goal on its opening possession before finding Keon Coleman for a 9-yard touchdown later in the first quarter. The star quarterback completed 6-of-8 passes for 111 yards across his first two drives, while also taking one sack and throwing the ball away under pressure.
The touchdown came after Allen faked a handoff and rolled to his right before stepping up to avoid the pass rush. He then spotted Coleman uncovered in the back of the end zone for the first touchdown of the game at Buffalo’s new home.
D.J. Moore also made an immediate impact in his first preseason appearance with the Bills after being acquired from the Chicago Bears during the offseason. Moore caught three passes for 61 yards, including a 33-yard reception that helped move Buffalo deep into Carolina territory. However, he appeared to injure his right calf while being tackled and did not return as trainers looked at him briefly on the sideline.
D.J. Moore's first @BuffaloBills catch of the preseason goes for 33 yards!
— NFL (@NFL) August 15, 2026
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James Cook, the NFL’s leading rusher last season, added 21 yards on five carries in the first quarter.
Buffalo’s starting defense also impressed in its first game under new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard. The unit allowed only 17 yards and no first downs through three series, with Deone Walker recording a sack among his three tackles.
Kyle Allen later completed 14-of-16 passes for 108 yards, while Ray Davis contributed 53 total yards. Buffalo held a commanding 278-60 advantage in total yardage at halftime.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.