Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) signals for a first down after a penalty during the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- New head coach. New Buffalo Bills stadium.
New primary receiver.
Same Josh Allen.
It didn't take Allen long to grow accustomed to his new surroundings by overseeing a pair of scoring drives to kick off the franchise's new era with a preseason-opening 29-14 win over the Carolina Panthers on Saturday.
In Buffalo's first game in its new $2.1 billion Highmark Stadium and first under new Coach Joe Brady, Allen showed his familiar elusiveness in completing a 9-yard touchdown to Keon Coleman to cap his second and final offensive series of the day.
Allen went 6 for 8 for 111 yards, starting with a 21-yard throw to Khalil Shakir on a play action pass on the first snap from scrimmage.
Most notable, perhaps, was Allen continuing to build chemistry with DJ Moore, the veteran who was acquired in the offseason and is being asked to bring a big-play dimension to an offense that's lacked it for much of the past two years.
"I'm going to go out and make an assumption that it's going to be awesome to do that every single game, is getting him the ball early and often," Allen said of Moore's three catches for 61 yards. "He's a heck of a football player and we're lucky to have him."
Shakir continues to be wowed by the rapport the two have developed since Buffalo acquired Moore in a trade with Chicago in March.
"Absolute insane ball by Josh, and then DJ to catch and get the first down. The awareness to do that is amazing," Shakir said of Moore converting a third-and-15 with an 18-yard catch along the sideline. "It's like football art, right? It's beautiful."
Moore's catch set up Coleman's touchdown, in which Allen scrambled out of the pocket before throwing across his body to find the receiver open in the middle of the end zone. Buffalo's first drive ended with Tyler Bass hitting a 33-yard field goal.
Bryce Young and the Panthers starters, meantime, sputtered in making their preseason debut -- and after sitting out Carolina's 33-30 win over Arizona in the Hall of Fame game on Aug. 6.
The Panthers went three-and-out and combined for 11 yards on three series with Young under center. Young finished 3 of 5 for 18 yards. He played in front of a revamped line with both projected starting tackles Ickey Ekwonu (knee) and Taylor Moton (blood clot/lung) sidelined. Carolina also held out both starting guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis.
"Obviously not the start we wanted, not the drives we wanted. You know, it's part of the process. A lot of moving parts," Young said. "Everyone is going to feel that on the plane back. And then you come back and you watch it, you learn from it, grow, turn the page."
Young's primary backup Kenny Pickett closed the first half with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Ja'Seem Reed. Pickett finished 16 of 19 for 92 yards on three drives spanning halftime. Kyle Trask mopped up and competed a 9-yard TD pass to John Metchie in the final minute.
Ian Wheeler and Frank Gore Jr. accounted for Buffalo's other touchdowns with scoring runs four minutes apart in the fourth quarter.
The only scare for Buffalo was Moore coming up limping after his catch, with trainers and a team doctor examining his right foot and lower right leg. Moore eventually put his shoe back on, but didn't return with the starters.
Brady didn't have a definitive update on Moore, though said the player told him "he was good to go," during a chat on the sideline.
JAGUARS 24,
SAINTS 20
NEW ORLEANS -- J'Mari Taylor rushed for 78 yards and a 2-yard, go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, and Jacksonville scored 18 unanswered points in the second half to defeat New Orleans in both teams' preseason opener.
Taylor's score, which gave the Jaguars their first lead, was set up by undrafted rookie quarterback Joey Aguilar's 43-yard completion deep down the left sideline to fellow rookie Trebor Pena.
New Orleans had two more possessions before the game ended with fourth-string QB Hunter Dekkers under center. The first ended with a punt, the second with an incomplete pass as time expired on second and goal from the 2.
Carter Bradley passed for 105 yards and short TD to tight end Hunter Long for the Jaguars. He also was intercepted by Jayden Price near midfield late in the first half, setting up a Saints touchdown.
Both teams sat out most of their projected starters, seeking to preserve their health while focusing on evaluations of players trying to fill reserve roles or simply stick on the roster.
Zach Wilson, acquired as a free agent by New Orleans this offseason, began making his case to become the backup to Tyler Shough. Wilson relieved Spencer Rattler in the second quarter and completed 11 of 16 passes for 145 yards and short touchdown to rookie tight end Oscar Delp.
Wilson completed three deep passes, hitting Bub Means for gains of 37 and 27 yards, and rookie Barion Brown for 28 yards.
Rattler, who entered training camp as the projected backup, completed 8 of 11 passes for 42 yards. He lost a fumble on a sack by Yasir Abdullah at the New Orleans 10, setting up one of Cam Little's (Arkansas Razorbacks) three field goals for Jacksonville.
The Saints took a 7-0 lead on Audric Estime's 9-yard run, one play after Ty Chandler returned the opening kickoff 86 yards.
Nick Mullens started at QB for Jacksonville. He completed just 3 of 7 passes for 33 yards and was intercepted on the Saints' 4-yard line by Jaylen Ford.
COWBOYS 17,
SEAHAWKS 7
SEATTLE -- Rookie Camden Brown had two touchdown catches, including a diving, one-handed snag, to help lead Dallas past Seattle in the teams' preseason opener.
Brown caught a 39-yard pass from Sam Howell in the second quarter to put Dallas up 10-7. On the first drive of the third quarter, Brown snared a fade pass from Joe Milton in the back left corner of the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown.
An undrafted free agent who started his career at Auburn before transferring to Georgia Southern, Brown has stood out throughout training camp. The 6-2, 204-pound wide receiver has made good use of his frame, and demonstrated on Saturday he can also do so in an NFL game.
Milton, who's entering his third pro season and second with Dallas, was impressive in his bid to be the Cowboys' backup quarterback behind Dak Prescott. The 2024 sixth-round draft pick completed six of his first eight passes against the Seahawks' backup cornerbacks, and finished 12 of 15 for 107 yards and the TD to Brown.
Howell, who is competing with Milton for the Cowboys' No. 2 job, was 8 of 12 for 94 yards and his touchdown pass to Brown.
With Sam Darnold sitting out, Seattle rotated its backup quarterbacks throughout the night. Drew Lock led the Seahawks on a 13-play, 80-yard scoring drive to open the game. It was capped by a 5-yard touchdown catch by Montorie Foster Jr.
Brandon Aubrey converted a 29-yard field goal to cut Seattle's lead to 7-3 early in the second quarter. The Seahawks responded with a 15-play drive, but Jason Myers pushed a 45-yard attempt wide right before Brown caught his first touchdown pass.
Jalen Milroe, currently entrenched as Seattle's third-string quarterback, was 5 of 8 for 36 yards. Lock was 9 of 13 for 40 yards and a touchdown.
Cowboys running back Jaydon Blue, who is competing with Phil Mafah to be Javonte Williams' backup, was stifled by Seattle's defense. Blue had 19 yards on eight carries.
RAVENS 24,
EAGLES 7
BALTIMORE -- Ja'Kobi Lane had a 16-yard touchdown catch during a promising night for Ravens rookie receivers, and Baltimore beat Philadelphia in the preseason opener for both teams.
Lane, a wide receiver from Southern California selected in the third round of the NFL Draft, finished with three receptions for 38 yards.
Fourth-round selections Matt Hibner (tight end, SMU) and Elijah Sarratt (wide receiver, Indiana) combined for 11 receptions and 127 yards to help Jesse Minter win his preseason head coaching debut.
With Baltimore's Lamar Jackson and Philadelphia's Jalen Hurts among the starters on both sides who did not play, backup Tyler Huntley led Baltimore's first two series and went 6 for 7 for 76 yards.
Joe Fagnano, an undrafted rookie from UConn, connected with Lane and shook off a later interception to complete 22 of 28 passes for 223 yards.
Tyler Loop, whose missed field goal at Pittsburgh ended the Ravens' 2025 season, missed from 49 yards in the first quarter before connecting from 42 yards in the third. Adam Randall and quarterback Austin Reed each had fourth-quarter touchdown runs for Baltimore.
Philadelphia rookie quarterback Cole Payton found Erik Ezukanma for a 6-yard TD pass for the game's final score, completing a nine-play, 69-yard drive.
The Eagles were outgained 440 yards to 159 and managed only two first downs before that series.
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman celebrates after catching a touchdown pass during the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman celebrates after catching a touchdown pass during the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young throws a pass during the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young throws a pass during the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Fans find their seats in Highmark Stadium before a preseason NFL football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Fans find their seats in Highmark Stadium before a preseason NFL football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) passes around Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Deone Walker (96) during the first half of a preseason NFL football game, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) passes around Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Deone Walker (96) during the first half of a preseason NFL football game, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)