There's something inordinately exciting about the first preseason game that I can't quite put my finger on. No, we shouldn't get excited for backups and rookies getting reps in largely mediocre football, but at the same time IT'S FOOTBALL! The Panthers weren't able to win on Friday night, but that's not preseason is about, not really.

Kelvin Benjamin, my goodness. We were all hoping he'd had a good game, but nobody expected him to come out and score a highlight-reel touchdown on the first catch of his professional career. It's not just that Benjamin caught the pass, it's that he made a difficult catch look easy -- even while falling down. That's something the Panthers sorely lacked in 2013 when Steve Smith slowed down, and if Benjamin can just contribute a few of those this season he's in good shape.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the night was fourth-string quarterback Joe Webb, who puts the team in a bit of a quandary. No, he's not going to supplant Derek Anderson as the Panthers' backup quarterback, but he showed a lot against the Bills, even with the late interception (which was no way his fault). Webb was throwing the ball crisply and showed athleticism that other passers on the roster lack (outside of Cam Newton, that is). Personally, I'd like to see him get more reps as preseason continues and perhaps find a way to put three quarterbacks on the roster this season. It's unorthodox in the modern NFL, but who really cares about orthodoxy if a guy can play?

Things I liked

Kelvin Benjamin - Extremely Optimistic

It's not just that he caught that pass, it's that he gave opposing cornerbacks fits for much of the night before that. He's just such a tough cover. Stephon Gilmore was tasked with covering him and is by no means a small corner, Benjamin made him look tiny. That innate size gives a passer a window, like he showed on the touchdown.

Tavarres King - Extremely Optimistic

People I respect kept telling me to keep an eye on him and he didn't disappoint. He showed reliable hands for much of the evening and has a chance to make an impact as the preseason progresses.

Brandon Williams - Extremely Optimistic

Perhaps this is finally the time we see him break out in a tangible way. It was always a slow process to develop him into an NFL tight end, and maybe that's starting to happen.

Defensive Front - Extremely Optimistic

The Panthers' hallmark is just as good as it was a year ago. That's great to see and new players are fitting in nicely. If the defensive line can stay healthy they'll make an impact in 2014.

Offensive Line - Somewhat Optimistic

Maybe I should say "cautiously optimistic." It wasn't a dumpster fire, but nor did the line do anything spectacular (especially in the run game). It was an all around decent game, which is a lot better than we could have expected.

Things I didn't

It's the first game of preseason. Let's not do this, not yet.