RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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There wasn't much to write home about for the Carolina Panthers on Saturday afternoon. In a disappointing follow-up to their exhilarating Hall of Fame Game victory , the defending NFC South champs came out flat in Orchard Park, N.Y.—taking a 29-14 loss to the Buffalo Bills in their second preseason outing.
But did any Panthers at least come out with high marks at Highmark Stadium?
Here are Carolina's best and worst Pro Football Focus grades from the defeat up north . . .
*Players listed recorded at least 10 offensive snaps or 10 defensive snaps.
Best of the offense
1. QB Kyle Trask: 84.8
2. C Nick Samac: 81.2
3. LG Joshua Gray: 77.8
4. RT Albert Reese IV: 73.4
5. C Sam Hecht: 73.2
Trask, in his first appearance for the Panthers, completed six of his nine throws for 53 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
Hecht earned a team-high 82.0 pass-blocking grade, allowing zero pressures over 21 opportunities.
Worst of the offense
30. RT Ryan Hayes: 50.6
31. RG Jake Curhan: 48.8
32. WR Elijah Cooks: 46.8
33. RB Miles Davis: 45.6
34. C Luke Fortner: 44.1
Fortner wasn't awful in pass protection, receiving a solid 76.4 mark there. But he didn't show up as well through the ground, with a 51.2 run-blocking grade.
Best of the defense
1. OLB Jaelan Phillips: 88.9
2. ILB Trevin Wallace: 80.8
3. ILB Devin Lloyd: 79.1
4. CB Akayleb Evans: 75.8
5. DT Kyon Barrs: 71.6
Phillips notched two pressures—a sack and a hurry—on five chances. He graded out at a team-best 90.3 in pass rushing.
Wallace led the Panthers with a 79.3 mark in coverage, allowing a 2-yard reception on one target. He was also credited with a stop.
Worst of the defense
31. ILB Claudin Cherelus: 36.7
32. ILB Bam Martin-Scott: 35.1
33. CB Corey Thornton: 35.1
34. OLB Jeremiah Moon: 30.2
35. DT Bobby Brown III: 29.8
Cherelus, Wallace's competition for the second starting inside linebacker spot, wasn't as sharp in defending the pass. He allowed four receptions for 70 yards over four targets, giving him Carolina's second-lowest coverage grade (38.5).
Brown was saddled with a team-worst 29.6 mark against the run. He registered zero tackles and zero pressures over 12 defensive snaps.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Best and worst PFF grades from the Panthers' preseason loss to Bills
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