Bills end 2-game skid with 31-14 win over spiraling Panthers

Published Dec. 19, 2021 4:39 p.m. ET

Associated Press

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen threw three touchdown passes, Devin Singletary ran for a season-high 86 yards with his quarterback mostly kept in the pocket by a sprained left foot and the Buffalo Bills beat the offensively challenged Carolina Panthers 31-14 Sunday.

Allen finished 19 of 34 for 210 yards while Singletary kept Buffalo moving on the ground and opened the scoring

The Bills limited Allen’s mobility a week after the fourth-year starter was hurt in a 33-27 overtime loss at Tampa Bay. Allen was sacked a season-high four times for 17 yards. He scrambled once for 26 yards in the third quarter.

Gabriel Davis scored twice, including a

Buffalo (8-6) was at risk of its first three-game skid in three years. The Bills have won four of nine games and kept a hold of at least a wild-card spot. They can still repeat as AFC East champions, too, with a key showdown against first-place New England (9-5) next Sunday.

The Panthers (5-9) dropped their fourth straight and lost for the ninth time in 11 games. In a what-else-can-go-wrong season, Carolina was dealt a blow a little over an hour before kickoff when kicker Zane Gonzalez had to be helped off the field after hurting his quadriceps.

The injury left Carolina minus a real kicker. The Panthers passed up a field-goal attempt and failed to convert fourth-and-9 from Buffalo’s 24 to end their second possession. Carolina converted one of two 2-point attempts.

After Cam Newton scored on a 4-yard run, DJ Moore made a one-handed catch in the right corner of the end zone to cut Buffalo’s lead to 14-8 with 1:48 left in the first half. Newton was stopped on a running attempt after hitting Ameer Abdullah for a 23-yard touchdown catch with 11:01 remaining.

The Panthers converted just 1 of 5 fourth-down tries, with Efe Obada ending Carolina’s last real chance for a comeback by sacking Newton for an 8-yard loss on fourth-and-10 from his own 46 with under six minutes left.

Allen’s one miscue was an interception in which he sailed a pass intended for Diggs that was

Newton finished 13 of 39 for 156 yards and an interception, with 15 carries for a team-leading 71 yards. He extended his NFL record by scoring a TD rushing and TD passing for the 44th time of his career. Newton also extended his streak of scoring a TD rushing to five consecutive games, matching the NFL record for a quarterback set by Arizona’s Kyler Murray last year.

0 FOR 12

Newton has lost 12 consecutive starts for Carolina, a skid that began before he spent last season with New England. Newton re-signed with the Panthers last month and hasn't led Carolina to victory since a 42-28 win against Tampa Bay on Nov. 4, 2018.

KICKING SCRAMBLE

Not long after Gonzalez was helped off the field after getting hurt, Carolina had what was essentially a kick-off to see if anyone was able to replace him. Receiver Brandon Zylstra, practice squad running back Reggie Bonnafon and linebacker Frankie Luvu each practiced field-goal attempts before the game.

Punter Lachlan Edwards handled kickoff duties.

LINEUPS

Panthers: RG John Miller returned after missing two games with an ankle injury.

Bills: Were down two offensive line starters after RG Jon Feliciano was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list hours before kickoff. LT Dion Dawkins landed on the list Friday and was not cleared to play.

UP NEXT

Panthers: Close home schedule hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

Bills: Close road schedule at the Patriots on Sunday.

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