Carolina Panthers vs Buffalo Bills NFL Preview: Team news, betting, tickets, live stream, Fantasy Football and more

The Buffalo Bills roll into Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 26, for a Week 8 clash with the surging Carolina Panthers, a matchup that suddenly carries a lot more intrigue than anyone expected a month ago.

For the first time in years, the Panthers are showing real signs of life. They've ripped off three straight wins and four of their last five, clawing their way above the .500 mark and, unbelievably, now sit just a game out of first place in the NFC South after the Buccaneers stumbled on Monday night. It’s the kind of run that’s injected new energy into Charlotte, but the biggest challenge of their season is about to walk through the door.

Enter Josh Allen and the Bills, a team still oozing talent and led by the reigning MVP who's capable of taking over a game in the blink of an eye. Currently riding a two-game losing streak, Allen and co. are eager to get back on track with a big win here. Carolina has been flawless at home so far in 2025, but they've yet to face a juggernaut like Buffalo, and with Bryce Young likely sidelined, the offense will once again fall on the shoulders of the steady but unspectacular Andy Dalton.

Simply put, this could be a reality check for a young Panthers squad riding high on confidence. If they can hang with Allen and company, they’ll prove they’re more than just a feel-good story. If not, Sunday could get ugly in a hurry.

Carolina Panthers vs Buffalo Bills kick-off time

NFL

Bank of America Stadium

The Panthers and Bills will meet in Week 8 of the NFL season at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Sunday, October 26, 2025, starting at 1:00 pm ET.

Team news & squads

Carolina Panthers team news

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales wasn't giving away much on Monday, keeping his cards close to the chest regarding Bryce Young's status after the quarterback tweaked his ankle. In a masterclass of coach-speak, Canales called Young "day-to-day" not once, not twice, but five times, and even refused to elaborate on the exact nature of the injury, brushing it off as "just an ankle." It's clear he's intent on making the Buffalo Bills prepare for both possibilities, a banged-up Young or the steady veteran hand of Andy Dalton under center this Sunday.

While Carolina's quarterback situation might be murky, their ground game has been anything but. The Panthers' rushing attack has been flat-out dominant, ranking third in the league at 140.1 yards per contest and leading the NFL with a 49% rushing success rate. That spells trouble for a Buffalo defense that's been carved up by the run all year. Defensive coordinator Bobby Babich will have his hands full trying to bottle up the dynamic duo of Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard, who’ve been bulldozing defenses with ease.

Dowdle, in particular, is red-hot. Over his last three outings, he's piled up 468 rushing yards while averaging a ridiculous 6.7 yards per carry. Now, he gets to face a Bills run defense that’s circling the drain — ranking 31st in the NFL in rushing yards allowed (156.3 per game) and dead last in yards per attempt (5.8). For a defense that’s been soft in the trenches, Buffalo simply can't afford to sit back. They've loaded the box on just 20.9% of opposing run plays (18th in the league), and unless that number spikes in Week 8, Dowdle and Hubbard could run wild again.

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Buffalo Bills team news

The Buffalo Bills are desperate to get back on track after suffering through a rough stretch of back-to-back losses that have fans restless and pundits circling.

Coming into the season, one of the biggest question marks hanging over Buffalo was whether the defense could finally hold up against the run and consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks. General manager Brandon Beane shelled out both premium draft picks and precious cap space to shore up that unit, but so far, it’s fair to wonder if the investment has truly paid off.

Still, the main talking point after the loss to the Atlanta Falcons wasn't the defense — it was the sputtering offense. Josh Allen, who’s supposed to be the heartbeat of this team and an MVP-caliber playmaker, looked out of rhythm and out of sorts. The Falcons came after him relentlessly, blitzing on 60% of his dropbacks, and it worked to perfection. Allen completed just 7 of 14 passes for 67 yards, averaging a meager 4.8 yards per attempt, while taking three sacks.

Atlanta's defensive approach was simple but ruthless: force Allen to beat the blitz without his top weapons. With Dalton Kincaid sidelined for the entire game and Joshua Palmer knocked out midway through the second quarter, Buffalo’s receiving corps looked toothless. The Falcons bet that the Bills' wideouts couldn’t consistently create separation — and they were spot on.

For the Bills, the timing of the bye week couldn’t have been more perfect. It's a badly needed breather for a team that looks gassed and out of sync. As they regroup and refocus, all eyes now turn to a pivotal matchup with the Carolina Panthers, where Allen and company must rediscover their spark.

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Watch and live stream Panthers vs Bills in the USA

The Panthers vs Bills game in Week 8 of the 2025 NFL season will be broadcast live nationally on FOX. Fans can catch the coverage onFubo (Try for free today!).

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More details on where to watch the game in the United States, including streaming options, will be released soon, so keep an eye out for our dedicated coverage.

Watch and live stream Panthers vs Bills worldwide

For fans outside the U.S. looking to stay plugged into the action,NFL Game Pass on DAZN is the ultimate ticket. It serves up more than 200 regular-season and playoff matchups, complete Super Bowl coverage, plus access to NFL Network, NFL RedZone, and plenty more to keep you locked in all year long.

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To bypass regional restrictions or to access the game if you are travelling abroad, you can watch the action using a Virtual Private Network like ExpressVPN.

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How to buy Panthers vs Bills tickets

The showdown between the Panthers and the Bills is set for Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, a venue that packs in up to 74,867 fans and promises a fiery atmosphere on game day.

Tickets are already up for grabs on StubHub, with entry starting at $386. From there, prices climb through the tiers — $300, $400, $500, $600, $700, $800, $900, $1,000, and stretching all the way into the premium ranges of $2,000, $3,000, $4,000, $5,000, $6,000, and topping out at $10,406 for the best seats in the house.

Check the link below for the full breakdown of how to purchase tickets to NFL games.

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Panthers vs Bills Fantasy Football

Josh Allen (projected 23.6 fantasy points in Week 8) returns from the bye, ready to wipe away the sour taste of his last outing. In Week 6 against Atlanta, he was far from his usual self—completing just 57.7% of his throws for 180 yards at a modest 6.9 yards per attempt. Still, let’s not overreact. Allen has tossed multiple touchdowns in five of six games and continues to churn out 42.3 rushing yards per contest. Translation: there's no reason to hit the panic button. He’s still a rock-solid, top-tier QB1 who should rebound in a big way this week.

Coming out of their bye, the Bills run into a Panthers squad that's been, well, warm—let's call it "mild-salsa hot." Sure, Carolina’s been punching above its weight lately, but Josh Allen and company have had two weeks to reset, and that's usually bad news for whoever’s next on the schedule.

James Cook looks poised for a strong showing against a Carolina defense that can be gashed on the edges. With Allen demanding attention through the air, Cook should find plenty of daylight between the tackles.

On the other sideline, Andy Dalton is likely to get his first start of the season, stepping in for Bryce Young, who’s battling an ankle injury. Carolina is reportedly trying to fast-track Young’s recovery, but the odds of him suiting up this week remain slim. Dalton’s a serviceable plug-in option in 2QB leagues, especially during a bye-heavy slate, but expectations should be tempered—this offense's ceiling without Young isn’t exactly scraping the sky.

Meanwhile, Rico Dowdle (projected 11.0 fantasy points) is starting to look like the more efficient half of Carolina’s backfield tandem. He edged Chuba Hubbard 17 to 14 last week and averaged 2.4 yards per carry more—a telling sign that Dowdle might be earning himself a larger slice of the workload pie. With Bryce Young likely sidelined, the Panthers could lean even more heavily on the run, giving both Dowdle and Hubbard a fair chance to make noise against Buffalo’s defense.

Panthers vs Bills Game Predictions

Styles make fights, and that's exactly what makes this Week 8 showdown between the Buffalo Bills and Carolina Panthers so intriguing. On paper, it’s a battle of strengths versus weaknesses: Carolina boasts one of the most efficient rushing attacks in football, churning out a bruising 177.3 yards per game and a whopping 5.3 yards per carry over their last four outings. That plays right into Buffalo's Achilles' heel — a defense that's been gashed on the ground all season, allowing a league-worst 5.8 yards per rush and the second-most rushing yards per game (156.3). On the flip side, the Panthers’ defensive front has been stonewalling opponents, yielding just 74.7 rushing yards per contest and 3.5 per carry.

Still, the Bills come into this one rested and regrouped after their bye week, and that spells trouble for Carolina. Josh Allen remains the heartbeat of this Buffalo offense — and while he’s been carrying an inconsistent unit on his back, this feels like the perfect "get-right" opportunity for him and Stefon Diggs to find their groove again.

As for the Panthers, Andy Dalton has steadied the ship admirably in Bryce Young’s absence, but let's be honest, that three-game winning streak was bound to hit a wall eventually. The Bills, coming off extra rest and hungry to make a statement, might just be the team to bring Carolina's fairytale run to an end.

Panthers vs Bills Betting Odds

Spread

Bills -7.5 (-105)

Panthers +7.5 (-115)

Moneyline

Bills: -395

Panthers: +310

Total

45.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Form

Head-to-Head Record

CAR

Last 5 matches

BUF

3

Wins

0

Draws

2

Wins

• Buffalo Bills

  26

  -

  31

  Carolina Panthers

• Carolina Panthers

  21

  -

  0

  Buffalo Bills

• Buffalo Bills

  31

  -

  14

  Carolina Panthers

• Carolina Panthers

  14

  -

  27

  Buffalo Bills

• Buffalo Bills

  23

  -

  28

  Carolina Panthers

Useful links

• Bills 2025 NFL schedule: TV channel, livestream & where to watch the games
• Panthers 2025 NFL schedule: TV channel, livestream & where to watch the games
• How to watch and live stream NFL football for free and without cable
• 2025 fantasy football rankings: Running back (RB) | Wide receiver (WR) | Tight end (TE) | Quarterback (QB)