Buffalo Rumblings
The Buffalo Bills have, to put it lightly, struggled to stop the run this season. They’ve been gashed to the tune of 5.8 yards allowed per rushing attempt, by far the worst in the league. This week’s opponent, the Carolina Panthers, averages 4.7 yards per rush, and given that it looks like they’ll be without their starting quarterback thanks to injury, they’re likely to lean on that strong rushing attack to move the ball and keep quarterback Josh Allen off the field.
Can the Bills buckle down and slow that Carolina rushing attack? Can they score enough points on offense to set up a negative game script where the Panthers and veteran Andy Dalton will be forced into obvious passing downs? Those are some big keys to this game, and in order for the Bills to come out with their fifth victory of the 2025 season, they’ll need to shut down some of Carolina’s top players.
Here are five Panthers to watch this week.
_____________________________________________________________________________
RB Rico Dowdle
The sixth-year man has been a revelation since taking over as Carolina’s featured back three games ago. In the Panthers’ first four games, he carried 28 times for 83 yards while working in behind starter Chuba Hubbard.
Hubbard missed two games due to injury, though, and Dowdle was incredible. He carried 53 times for 389 yards and a touchdown in those games, adding seven catches for 84 yards and another touchdown as a receiver. While Hubbard started the game last week against the New York Jets, Dowdle outpaced him in carries and yards, as he ran 17 times for 79 yards compared to Hubbard’s 14 carries for 31 yards.
Buffalo needs to be sound in their run fits, something that has given the defense fits this season. Hopefully, bye week film study will allow for a return to form on defense, because if the Bills let Dowdle run wild, it’s going to be a long afternoon.
WR Tetairoa McMillan
The rookie is Carolina’s unquestioned No. 1 wideout, as he leads the team in targets (53), receptions (30), receiving yards (413), and touchdown catches (2). No other Panther has more than 30 targets, 17 catches, or 142 receiving yards.
We’ve seen this movie before, as the Bills have faced a few opponents in a row where the passing game clearly went through one player. Buffalo couldn’t stop Stefon Diggs or Drake London, but at least with the latter, they were able to make an adjustment in the second half to keep him contained for 30 minutes.
Buffalo let Christian Benford match up with London more often in the second half, and he caught just one pass for 11 yards after tormenting them throughout the whole first half. Benford should follow McMillan on Sunday, because if he doesn’t, then the rookie will make minced meat out of Tre’Davious White.
DE Derrick Brown
The big defensive lineman is one of two players on Carolina’s front with the same surname — the other is nose tackle...
