Buffalo Bills (2-4) at Carolina Panthers (2-3)
Sunday, October 25, 2009, 4:15 PM ET
Bank of America Stadium - Charlotte, NC
Normally in this weekly feature, I go back and review the last five meetings between the Buffalo Bills and their current opponent for the week. The problem this week, however, is that this is the fifth ever meeting between the Bills and the Carolina Panthers, so there are only four games to review. The Bills hold a 3-1 series edge, losing the last meeting (way back in 2005) after winning the first three. The Bills have outscored Carolina 95-60 all time and will look to add to their previous success this week, in yet another four o'clock game for the Bills this year. The last five four meetings after the jump.
September 10, 1995: Bills 31, Panthers 9
Can't kill the Panthers for this one, as this game took place in their first year of existence. After John Kasay hit his third field goal of the game in the third quarter, the Panthers had a 9-0 lead and had shut out the Bills for the first half. The Bills then came roaring back. A 77-yard Jim Kelly-to-Russell Copeland touchdown hook up was quickly followed by rushing touchdowns from Thurman Thomas and Darick Holmes. The Bills then added a fourth score in the third quarter when Kurt Schulz picked off former Bill - and MRW favorite - Frank Reich and brought it back 32 yards for a touchdown. Steve Christie capped the scoring with a fourth-quarter field goal.
Eric Moulds hooked up with Doug Flutie for a 20-yard TD and Steve Christie kicked a 42-yard field goal to give the Bills a 10-0 lead. William Floyd's one-yard TD plunge brought Carolina to within 3 points, but Moulds and Flutie hooked up again, this time for 82 yards. That was all the Bills would need, but they added a Thurman Thomas TD run and two more Steve Christie field goals. Phil Hansen and Shawn Price had a sack apiece, while Ray Jackson and Henry Jones picked off one Steve Beuerlein pass each.
In a game that featured two of the more pathetic teams of 2001, Chris Weinke led the Panthers to a early 24-6 lead just before halftime. The Panthers (who finished 1-15 that year) were poised to record their second win of the season. But the Bills (who finished 3-13 that year) came from behind. Current Bills offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt hit Peerless Price for a 7-yard touchdown pass that was followed up by a Brandon Spoon 44-yard pick-six, and a Travis Henry one-yard TD plunge to give the Bills the win. In hindsight, it might have been better to lose this game. In the upcoming draft the Panthers would select Julius Peppers, while the Bills would select Mike Williams...