Carolina Panthers: Takeaways from loss to the Buffalo Bills

The defense struggled Friday

The defense was not on its game Friday. They only had one sack on Friday after having an abundance last week. As result, the entire team paid the price.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Matt Barkley had a great game. He went eight-of-10 for 110 yards. With a touchdown and a 145.8 quarterback rating, he had himself a day. The leading rusher for Buffalo was also a quarterback. Tyree Jackson carried the ball eight times for 27 yards, averaging 3.4 yards per carry. A 20-yard scamper was his longest of the afternoon.

With 21 catches for 280 yards, the Buffalo wide receivers had a field day as well. Christian Wade was the receiving leader for Buffalo. With one catch for 48 yards, he made his opportunity count. Tight end Tommy Sweeney had two catches for 47 yards, averaging 23.5 yards per grab. A 25-yard catch was his longest of the evening.

The defense can’t be on top of their game at all times. However, Friday night made them look vulnerable. We’ll have to see what they do against the defending Super Bowl champions next Thursday. A good game there would certainly go a long way in terms of confidence and things to build off. They need to watch the film closely next week and try to correct their mistakes.