The Panthers spent the first quarter fumbling around. Then they spent the rest of the night making Buffalo pay for it.

Carolina rolled to a 34-3 preseason victory over the Bills on Saturday, pairing Terrell Stevenson’s three touchdown passes with a ground game that chewed up 186 yards. Buffalo finished with 154 yards of offense and one lonely field goal. That is not a close call; it is a Charlotte-sized exclamation point, even in August.

The opening quarter offered plenty of sloppiness. The Bills fumbled once and recovered their own loose ball; Carolina did the same after Stevenson was sacked by John Ames. Buffalo later put the ball on the turf again, and the Panthers recovered. The Bills also missed a 58-yard field-goal attempt, leaving the scoreboard blank despite reaching Carolina’s 40.

Stevenson broke the stalemate early in the second quarter with a 57-yard touchdown strike to Richard Blackstone. Buffalo answered with its only points, a 42-yard field goal, but Carolina had the better reply: Robert Martinelli drilled a 36-yarder to make it 10-3 at halftime.

The Panthers turned that slim lead into a landslide after the break. With 2:22 left in the third, Stevenson found John Blum for a 20-yard touchdown. Then, early in the fourth, he hit Antone Fillmore for 31 yards and another score. A 52-yard Shawn Lagarde field goal pushed the margin to 27-3, and Colin Pettit supplied the final blow with a four-yard touchdown run.

Stevenson’s line was emphatic: 18 completions on 25 attempts, 235 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Blackstone finished with 83 receiving yards and a score; Fillmore added 54 yards and a touchdown. Blum contributed 86 rushing yards, 39 receiving yards and a touchdown reception. Pettit added 40 yards on the ground and the late scoring run.

The defense gave the offense room to take over, recording five sacks and forcing two fumbles. Buffalo managed only 93 passing yards, 61 rushing yards and a 4-for-15 mark on third down. Carolina had its own rough edges—four penalties for 36 yards and just 4-for-11 on third down—but the scoreboard left no room for argument.

It is preseason, not prophecy. Still, Francisco Sather’s Panthers delivered a sharp reminder of what they can look like when Stevenson has answers and the defense keeps leaning on an opponent. Buffalo got one field goal. Carolina got a statement.