Football is finally back. Kinda.Friday night’s meeting between the Panthers and Bills in Buffalo is technically a game, but it really falls somewhere between that and a moderately fancy scrimmage.Ahead of the game/scrimmage, here are some notable numbers and notes:
- It’s the second straight year Carolina has kicked off the preseason with Buffalo. Last August, the Panthers lost, 20-18 in Charlotte. The Panthers ended up winning seven regular-season games while the Bills won nine. Buffalo didn’t make the playoffs.
- Of the Panthers’ six postseason seasons (bolded below), only two came after they went through the exhibition schedule above .500. But they’ve missed the playoffs in all seven seasons that followed a below-.500 preseason record.
PANTHERS PRESEASON RESULTS
| Year | Record |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 3-2 |
| 1996 | 2-2 |
| 1997 | 0-4 |
| 1998 | 2-2 |
| 1999 | 2-2 |
| 2000 | 0-4 |
| 2001 | 2-2 |
| 2002 | 1-3 |
| 2003 | 4-0 |
| 2004 | 4-0 |
| 2005 | 2-2 |
| 2006 | 4-0 |
| 2007 | 1-3 |
| 2008 | 2-2 |
| 2009 | 0-4 |
| 2010 | 1-3 |
| 2011 | 1-3 |
| 2012 | 2-2 |
| 2013 | 3-1 |
| 2014 | 2-2 |
- Of course, it’s silly to get too excited either way about much of what happens during these games. Against Buffalo last year, Tavarres King led the Panthers with four receptions for 50 yards.
But some results will be relevant. The Panthers saw out all they needed from Kenjon Barner when he avoided contact while rushing for just eight yards on eight carries. Also, Josh Norman gave coaches the first hints his light was going to stay on with an interception and six tackles. And it was that Friday night when rookie Kelvin Benjamin gave the league its first taste of what was to come:
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