The Buffalo Bills closed out the preseason with a 31-26 loss to Carolina Panthers.

Running back Frank Gore Jr. was the biggest star for Buffalo, rushing for 101 yards and a touchdown. Only time will tell if it was good enough to cement a spot on the 53-man roster.

The Bills’ backup defense struggled to contain the Panthers offense for much of the game, surrendering 404 yards, mostly through the air.

With the loss, the Buffalo Bills close out the preseason with a 1-2 record, while the Carolina Panthers finish the preseason at 1-2.

Next up for the Bills' coaching staff is deciding who to keep, and who to let go.

Panthers 31, Bills 26: Making it close

The Bills did not go down without a fight. Their defense finally got a stop with a turnover on downs, and Anthony Brown put together a nice 67-yard drive which ended with KJ Hamler scoring on a one-yard run.

Brown completed all four of his passes, the big one a 20-yarder to Damiere Byrd that moved the ball to the Panthers 34, followed by a 13-yarder to Xavier Johnson. Hamler, who had to play running back because both Darrynton Evans and Frank Gore Jr. got hurt in the second half, then went 18 yards on a sweep to set up his touchdown.

Panthers 31, Bills 19: Buffalo defense getting smoked

This has not been an impressive ending to the preseason for the Bills backup defenders.

The Panthers have now scored on five of their seven possessions in the game, the latest a 36-yard touchdown pass from Jack Plummer to Jalen Coker to a cap a five-play, 70-yard drive.

Plummer has now passed for 227 yards.

Panthers 25, Bills 19: Frank Gore Jr. scores

The rookie undrafted free agent had quite a series as he carried six times for 41 yards, capping a 60-yard march with a five-yard TD run. The Bills then went for two points and Anthony Brown hit Xavier Johnson for the conversion.

I think with the hamstring injury that Darrynton Evans suffered, Gore has locked up a spot on the Bills’ practice squad with this performance, assuming the Bills can sign him back.

Panthers 25, Bills 11: Carolina begins to pull away

After new Bills QB Anthony Brown’s first possession went nowhere, Sam Martin pinned the Panthers at their own 10 with a fine punt. However, the second- and third-string defense was victimized for a 12-play, 90-yard that ended with Jack Plummer 15-yard pass to Terrace Marshall. The Panthers then went for two and Plummer hit David Moore for the score to give Carolina a 25-11 lead.

Panthers 17, Bills 11: Late drive extends Carolina's lead

The Panthers put together a nice two-minute drill, a 10-play, 42-yard drive that ended with Eddy Pineiro’s 45-yard field goal. The Bills’ backup defense allowed 13 first downs and 209 total yards to Carolina in the first half.

The Bills offense managed eight first downs and 133 yards of offense.

Panthers 14, Bills 11: Buffalo's kickoff coverage gets burned

Following their touchdown, the Bills got a well-placed kickoff by Tyler Bass that carried to the 3. The problem was the coverage team broken down and Carolina’s Ihmir Smith-Marsette returned it 46 yards to the 49.

From there, the Panthers’ third-string QB Jack Plummer needed just five plays to cover the 51 yards with Mike Boone scoring easily on a five-yard run to put Carolina ahead 14-11. The big play was a 23-yard pass from Plummer to wide open David Moore that put the ball at the Bills 15.

Bills 11, Panthers 7: Buffalo scores its first preseason TD

After being held to five field goals in the first two preseason games, the Bills finally scored a touchdown as Ben DiNucci hit running back Darrynton Evans with an 18-yard pass.

The Bills defense held the Panthers on a fourth down at the Buffalo 39, and DiNucci turned around and directed a six-play, 61-yard drive for an 11-7 lead.

A penalty by the Panthers on the extra point convinced Sean McDermott to wipe out Tyler Bass’ extra point and go for the two-point conversion and tight end Tre McKitty caught a pass from DiNucci after it had been deflected.

Newly-signed wide receiver Deon Cain, who hasn’t played an NFL game since 2020 and has no chance to make the team, made two nice plays which totaled 21 yards, and running back Frank Gore Jr. broke a 17-yard run.

Panthers 7, Bills 3: Tyrell Shavers has a strong first series

The wide receiver is trying to secure the sixth spot on the depth chart, and even that’s not a guarantee because the Bills kept only five receivers last season. But if they do keep six, Shavers seems to be in the best spot, and Buffalo’s first offensive possession Saturday was a good indication.

Shavers started and was targeted four times and caught two for 15 yards and he got wide open for what would have been a touchdown but Ben DiNucci overthrew him.

The Bills put together a 16-play, 61-yard drive against the Panthers’ first-string defense and settled for a 31-yard field goal by Tyler Bass. DiNucci was 6 of 10 for 34 yards and also had an 11-yard scramble that converted a third down.

Panthers 7, Bills 0: Carolina rolls down the field on first possession

Carolina’s rookie head coach Dave Canales decided to play his starters, and second-year quarterback Bryce Young had no trouble driving the Panthers 85 yards in 12 plays for a 7-0 lead.

Young hit Jordan Matthews with an eight-yard TD pass on a third-and-goal to cap the march which chewed up the first 6:48 of the opening quarter. The big play was Young’s 17-yard pass to Diontae Johnson to the Bills 29 on a fourth-and-three play.

Former Buffalo Bills WR suspended by NFL 

Former Bills WR Zay Jones was suspended Friday by the NFL for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

Jones last played for the Bills in 2019.

Buffalo Bills fans turn up in the craziest places 

It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, if you are wearing a Buffalo hat you are bound to hear someone yell "Go Bills!"

Bills vs. Panthers game: This is how to pregame 

What time is the Bills vs Panthers game?

• Date: Saturday, Aug. 24

• Time: 1 p.m.

• Place: Highmark Stadium

Who is announcing the Bills vs. Panthers game

• Play-by-play: Andrew Catalon

• Analyst: Steve Tasker

• Sideline reporter: Maddy Glab

How to watch Buffalo Bills vs Carolina Panthers game on TV, streaming

• Network TV: The game will be available locally via the following stations: WROC (Channel 8, Rochester), WIVB (Buffalo area), WSYR (Syracuse), WPNY/WFXV/WUTR (Utica); WETM/EETM (Elmira); WWTI (Watertown); WTEN/WXXA (Albany).

• Online streaming services: You can watch games on NFL.com and the NFL mobile app, and you can subscribe to NFL+, the league’s own streaming service, though you can’t cast the games to your TV - you must watch on your phone or tablet.

• TV streaming: You can also stream games if you have subscriptions to Spectrum, DirecTV, fuboTV, Sling, Vidgo, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV+.

On the radio: How to listen to the Bills vs Panthers game

You can listen on SiriusXM satellite radio on channel 225 (Bills feed) and channel 380 (Panthers feed), and on traditional radio, the Bills Radio Network has stations all across the state. Chris Brown has the play-by-play, Eric Wood is the analyst, and Sal Capaccio is the sideline reporter. The network includes:

• Rochester (WCMF 96.5 and WROC 950 AM)

• Buffalo (WGR550, 550 AM)

• Syracuse (WTKW 99.5/WTKV 105.5)

• Binghamton (WDRE 100.5FM)

• Ithaca (WIII 99.9/100.3 FM)

• Bath (WVIN 98.3 FM)

• Newark (WACK 1420 AM)

• Dansville (WDNY 93.9 FM)

• Elmira (WNGZ 1490 AM)

• Auburn (WAUB 98.1 FM/1590 AM)

• Geneva (WGVA 95.9 FM, 1240 AM)

Who is favored to win Bills vs. Panthers game

• Betting line: Bills +2.5

• Over-under: 31.5

• Money line: Bills plus-120 (bet $100 to win $120) and Panthers minus-140 (bet $140 to win $100).

Bills vs Panthers weather

Perfect late-summer weather is forecast for today's game, with mostly sunny skies and the temperature at 78 at Highmark Stadium for the 1 p.m. kickoff, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.

The UV index is expected to hit 7 (high) on Saturday so don't forget your sunblock.

Buffalo Bills 2024 schedule

• Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 8, vs. Arizona Cardinals, 1 p.m., CBS

• Week 2: Thursday, Sept. 12, at Miami Dolphins, 8:15 p.m., Prime Video

• Week 3: Monday, Sept. 23, vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 7:30 p.m., ESPN

• Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 29, at Baltimore Ravens, 8:20 p.m., NBC

• Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 6, at Houston Texans, 1 p.m., CBS

• Week 6: Monday, Oct. 14, at New York Jets, 8:15 p.m., ESPN

• Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 20, vs. Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m., CBS

• Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 27, at Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m., FOX

• Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 3, vs. Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m., CBS

• Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 10, at Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m., CBS

• Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 10, vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 p.m., CBS

• Week 12: Bye

• Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 1, vs. San Francisco 49ers, 8:20 p.m., NBC

• Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 8, at Los Angeles Rams, 4:25 p.m., FOX

• Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 15, at Detroit Lions, 4:25 p.m., CBS

• Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 22, vs. New England Patriots, 1 p.m., CBS

• Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 29, vs. New York Jets, 1 p.m. CBS

• Week 18: Sunday, Jan. 5, at New England Patriots, time and TV channel TBD

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Bills vs Panthers score, updates, highlights, betting odds