CHARLOTTE — All the good things the Panthers have done over the last month aren't gone. But they were less evident in the aftermath of Sunday's game.

The Panthers fell 40-9 to the Bills at Bank of America Stadium, snapping a four-game home winning streak that went back to last year's finale, and a three-game winning streak overall in which they played efficient offense and stout defense.

The combination of entering the game short-handed, becoming more short-handed during the game, and uncharacteristic turnovers caused this one to get away from them, as they fell to 4-4 on the season.

Backup quarterback Andy Dalton, starting for the injured Bryce Young, turned it over twice in the second half, and the Bills turned those into 10 immediate points. A fumble in the third quarter led to another Bills touchdown.

That's the kind of margin of error the 5-2 Bills didn't need.

Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott, the former Panthers defensive coordinator, is now 9-0 in the week after byes in his career there.

While there might have been questions about the Bills during a 4-2 start, they looked like the same quality team we've come to expect.

Running back James Cook, who entered the week fourth in the league in rushing yards, finished the game with 216 yards, the most ever allowed to a Panthers opponent (breaking the previous record of 215 set by Derrick Ward of the Giants in a 2008 game that went to overtime).

Cook had 153 yards at halftime, including a 64-yard touchdown run.

The Panthers had allowed a total of 131 rushing yards in the last three games combined, and hadn't allowed a run of more than 10 yards during that span.

Dalton finished the game 16-of-24 for 175 yards and an interception. He was sacked seven times, and the Panthers hadn't allowed more than three sacks in a game all season.

But the bigger news was the injuries that became an issue as the game went along. Three starting offensive linemen left the game and didn't return, along with starting linebacker Trevin Wallace (concussion). Defensive tackle Derrick Brown (knee) went to the medical tent in the fourth quarter and was announced as questionable to return.

Offensive line takes more hits, three more injured

With Damien Lewis back in the lineup after missing one game with a shoulder injury, the Panthers actually used a combination of starting offensive linemen they've used in a game before. That didn't last the entire first half.

Center Cade Mays left with an ankle injury in the second quarter and was immediately announced as doubtful to return. He sat on an exercise bike throughout much of the second half.

He was replaced in the lineup by Austin Corbett, who started the season at center, but went to IR after a Week 2 knee injury.

It got worse to open the second half, as veteran right tackle Taylor Moton did not return because of a knee injury. He was immediately announced as being out for the rest of the game.

Early in the fourth quarter, Brady Christensen left with an ankle injury, and was immediately carted to the locker room.

They finished the game with all the healthy offensive linemen they had left, with Ikem Ekwonu at left tackle, Lewis at left guard, Corbett at center, Jake Curhan at right guard, and Yosh Nijman at right tackle.

The Panthers have used six different combinations of starting linemen in eight weeks.