CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ Buffalo Bills first-year head coach Sean McDermott, after a long stint as Carolina's defensive coordinator, knows as much about Cam Newton and the Panthers offense as well as anyone.
What he couldn't quite figure out in his second game as an NFL head coach was how to get into the end zone against the Panthers defense he led for six seasons.
That combination led to Sunday's ugly, 9-3 Panthers victory in their home opener.
"It is tough to win in this league when all you can do is kick field goals, but you've got to give them credit because they played hard as well," Panthers coach Ron Rivera said.
A Tyrod Taylor pass bounced off the hands of rookie wide receiver Zay Jones inside the Carolina 5 on fourth and 11 from the Carolina 33, and the Panthers survived.
Panthers kicker Graham Gano made field goals of 34, 28 and 20 yards, the last of which gave Carolina a 9-3 lead with 2:38 to play. But the Panthers (2-0) never found the end zone, despite twice reaching the red zone.
It didn't help the Panthers offense that center Ryan Kalil didn't play, although he was dressed, after reportedly waking up on Sunday with a sore neck. And tight end Greg Olsen left in the first half with what he confirmed afterward is a broken right foot, returning to the sideline after halftime using crutches and wearing a boot.
And Newton spent time in the sideline injury tent after the Bills' sixth sack of the day, with an ankle injury.
But the Panthers survived the Bills, and McDermott, although Newton said it wasn't McDermott who caused the Panthers' struggles.
"It wasn't anything he did that frustrated me," Newton did. "That was self-inflicted frustration."
