The Carolina Panthers take on the Buffalo Bills on Saturday afternoon at Highmark Stadium. Kickoff at Orchard Park is scheduled for 1 PM ET on NFL Network. Right now, the majority of the tickets and money is going to the Bills expected to cover the spread against the Panthers, so the public may simply be basing their judgement on name recognition.
But I know you shouldn't rely on name value when it comes to the preseason, which is why I'm happy to join the astute experts and big money players in backing Carolina as the favorite to win. So let's preview the game and dive into our predictions for Saturday's Panthers vs Bills.
Panthers vs Bills Prediction
Panthers vs Bills Prediction: Panthers -4.5
My prediction for Panthers vs. Bills is Carolina covering the spread (-4.5), the best line available on DraftKings, according to the NFL live odds page.
Panthers vs Bills odds
Saturday, August 24
1:00 PM ET
Panthers Odds Spread Total Money Line
-4.5
-108
30.5
-110o / -110u
-198
Bills Odds Spread Total Money Line
+4.5
-112
30.5
-110o / -110u
+164
Panthers vs Bills point spread: Panthers -4.5 | Bills +4.5Panthers vs Bills total: Over/Under 30.5Panthers vs Bills moneyline: Panthers -198 | Bills +164
The spread started at Panthers -4.5 and hasn't changed much since then, with the total dropping a few points from 34.5 to 30.5.
Panthers vs Bills Preview
The Panthers are desperate for Bryce Young to take a step forward. And not just a step forward, but a giant step forward. He completed 59% of his passes for 1,877 yards, 11 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 33.4 QBR, 29th in the league. No wonder Carolina has the worst passing attack of all time (-27.3%) according to DVOA.
The Panthers overhauled their team in the offseason, hiring famed quarterback whisperer Dave Canales as head coach, and they haven't even featured Young in a preseason game yet, so it's unclear how much progress has been made, but progress should be evident this week as the team's starters are scheduled to finally make their debuts in their third and final game.
Why wait so long?
Canales told media that they wanted to wait until they had “fully figured out the system.” Well, it looks like they're ready now.
Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills team is so far removed from what they were in the regular season that there's really nothing to say about it. They're not even a shell of their usual team. Several of the Bills' key reserves are injured, and most of the guys who play are third, fourth or fifth-string players.
The team's quarterback play might be the biggest warning sign in rooting for them. Mitch Trubisky is out for several weeks with a knee injury and Shane Buechele is on injured reserve with a neck injury. The latter forced Buffalo to sign Ben DeNucci last week and then make a similar move on Wednesday by adding former Baltimore Ravens player Anthony Brown Jr., meaning Buffalo will be led by two passers who have been with the team a combined 18 days.
How to watch Panthers vs Bills live: start time, channel, location
Location: Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, New York Date: Saturday, August 24, 2024 Time: 1:00 PM ET TV Channel/Live Streaming: NFL Network/NFL+
The Panthers vs Bills game will be broadcast live on NFL Network and will also be broadcast locally on television. The Panthers vs Bills game is scheduled to kick off at 1:00 PM ET on Saturday from Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park.
Betting on Panthers vs Bills with QuickSlip
My Panthers vs Bills prediction: Carolina covers the spread
Panthers vs Bills best bets
Canales' statement that he will hold back starters until they fully understand and can execute the system seemed pretty bold to me. He's saying he's not going to see the team trying to iron out kinks, but rather see players who are ready to execute at the appropriate level.
Compare that to the Bills, who will be loaded with players filing for unemployment benefits next week, and I expect the Panthers to cover the spread in this one.
Panthers vs Bills Pick: Panthers -4.5 (-110)
Panthers vs Bills betting trends
77% of the bets and 52% of the bankroll are on the Bills covering the spread. 60% of the bets and 51% of the bankroll are on the under.
All data comes from Action Network's published betting rates.
Panthers vs Bills Weather
About the Author
Ricky Henne works on the Action Network news team covering all sports, events and breaking news. He also contributes to Action's NFL coverage. Ricky joined Action in 2022 with over 20 years of experience covering professional sports. Prior to joining the sports betting industry, he covered the Los Angeles Chargers, New York Knicks and New York Rangers.
Follow Ricky Henne @rickyhenne on Twitter/X.
How do you rate this article?
