Buffalo Bills Beat Carolina 29-14: Instant Reactions

The start of Joe Brady's tenure as Buffalo Bills head coach couldn't have gone much better. In the first preseason game of the year, the Bills took care of business in all areas, beating the Carolina Panthers 29-14 in the first game at the new Highmark Stadium.

Obviously, getting the win is nice for the team, but that's not the most important thing about these preseason games. It's the first time to get a look at the new systems being implemented, the new players coming in to fill roles, and the players looking to make that final 53-man roster come September.

So, without any more delay, here are the positives and negatives from Buffalo's preseason-opening win.

Starting Offense: We knew they'd play, but weren't sure how much. In two drives, the Bills offense picked up 134 yards on 15 plays and ended with 10 points. Aside from a bit of stalling in the first drive in the red zone, the offense looked in regular-season form.

Starting Defense: With a new defensive scheme for the first time in nine years, all eyes were on the starting unit on Saturday. And to say that they stepped up would be an understatement. In three series, the starting defense held Carolina to just 12 yards on nine plays, forcing three three-and-outs. 

Josh Allen to DJ Moore: It didn't take long to see how the Allen-to-Moore connection is developing. Moore finished with three catches for 61 yards on four targets. 

Keon Coleman: He started the game opposite Moore and had the only touchdown for the starting offense. Coleman played longer than most starters, finishing with three catches for 17 yards and a touchdown on four targets. He also had a big catch on fourth down to keep a drive alive for the Bills.

Tyler Bass: He'll appear in the negatives as well, but it was an overall strong day. In his first action since last August, Bass went 3/4 on field goals and 2/2 on PATs.

Kyle Allen: The backup quarterback battle hasn't been strong this summer, but Kyle Allen made the most of his chance to win the job. Allen finished 14-of-16 for 108 yards.

Jordan Hancock: The second-year cornerback is looking for a larger role this season, and he did quite a bit to show he's ready. Hancock finished with four tackles, including two for a loss.

Ian Wheeler and Frank Gore Jr.: Both running backs have an uphill battle to make the final roster, but both put on strong performances. Wheeler finished with 41 yards and a touchdown on seven carries, while Gore Jr. had 38 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.

Davison Igbinosun: Getting the start in place of the injured Maxwell Hairson, Igbinosun didn't look out of place at all for the Bills. He covered well against Xavier Legette and helped get the defense off the field on third down on the opening series.

Kani Walker: Brandon Beane says Buffalo can't have enough corners, and Walker, the undrafted free agent from Arkansas, stepped up to try to make the roster. Walker had an interception in the fourth quarter that set up a Frank Gore Jr. touchdown.

Mike Danna: The former Kansas City Chief had two sacks on the day, including a 10-yard sack on 4th and 7 to end a Panthers drive at the start of the fourth.

Third-down offense: While the offense played well overall, the third-down offense struggled, going 1-of-7. 

Penalties: The Bills had problems with penalties under Sean McDermott, and it continued on Saturday under Brady. The Bills finished with nine penalties for 98 yards, something that needs to be cleaned up before the start of the regular season.

Tyler Bass: While he went 3/4 on field goals, Bass did miss a 45-yard field goal. He'll need to show he can be reliable enough for Buffalo to not considering bringing in another kicker.

Starting LG Job: The biggest offensive question mark heading into the season is who starts at left guard. Alec Anderson is the current starter, but the job is not locked in. Both Anderson and Austin Corbett

Punting Competition: When a team goes an entire game without punting, that's often viewed as a good thing. In this instance, it's a negative. There's a battle for the team's punter position between veteran Mitch Wishnowsky and rookie Tommy Doman Jr, and neither kicked on Saturday.