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Kelvin Benjamin backs up his words with plays

Bills Benjamin Football

FILE - In this June 14, 2018, file photo, Buffalo Bills receiver Kelvin Benjamin stretches during the team’s NFL football minicamp in Orchard Park, N.Y. Bills coach Sean McDermott is not pleased with Benjamin questioning why the Carolina Panthers drafted him, and criticizing former teammate Cam Newton’s accuracy. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes, File)

AP

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton may or may not have won the war of words before the game.

Bills wideout Kelvin Benjamin backed up his talk with a few plays once the game started.

Benjamin just caught a 28-yard touchdown pass from Nathan Peterman, as the Bills responded well after an ugly first drive by Newton and the Panthers first offense.

Benjamin caught four passes for 59 yards on the opening drive, after his pre-game interaction with his former teammate (in which Newton shooed away Thomas Davis and generally appeared to be talking to Benjamin like a child after Benjamin’s comments about Newton’s accuracy).

And in the context of the early going, Benjamin may have had a point. Newton was 1-of-3 on the first drive, missing badly with his first pass. He nearly threw a pick to start the second drive (the first one was so bad he got a second chance)

Newton got the Panthers to the end zone on the second drive, with Christian McCaffrey scoring the touchdown from 2 yards out. The running back touched the ball on six of their first 11 plays. Newton’s 6-of-9 for 84 yards line wasn’t great, but he wasn’t as sharp as Benjamin was early, for what it’s worth.