Who Should I Start? Andy Dalton or Shane Buechele

Thursday, August 21, 6:05 PM

Carolina Panthers backup quarterback Andy Dalton (elbow) is being held out of the team's preseason finale on Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to Panthers beat writer Darin Gantt. Starter Bryce Young will also be held out, leaving QB duties on Thursday to Jack Plummer and Bryce Perkins, who was just signed on Monday. The 37-year-old Dalton suffered a muscle strain in his right elbow in the team's second preseason tilt last Saturday against the Houston Texans. While the injury isn't considered overly serious, Dalton is strictly focused on being available for the club's Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday, Sept. 7, against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Red Rifle is purely a backup at this point in his career. In six games (five starts) played last year in Carolina when Young was benched, he threw for 989 yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions.

Saturday, August 23, 11:47 PM

Buffalo Bills quarterback Shane Buechele turned in the team's best passing performance of the preseason in a 23-19 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday. The 27-year-old demonstrated pinpoint accuracy throughout the night, completing 25 of his 30 attempts for 278 yards and a touchdown. He also used his mobility to his advantage and added another 20 yards on five rushes. Buechele played the entire game with the Bills' top three QBs - Josh Allen, Mitchell Trubisky, and Mike White - on the sideline. Trubisky and White have spent the summer battling for the No. 2 job, a role Buechele stands little to no chance of winning. His best bet to stay in the organization for a third straight year may be via the practice squad. Buechele was on Buffalo's practice squad in 2023, and he spent last year on Injured Reserve after suffering a neck injury in the preseason.