The Buffalo Bills wrapped up the preseason with a 28-27 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Highmark Stadium, and they did it the hard way. Ian Wheeler punched in a two-yard touchdown run with a little more than a minute left, then Shane Buechele hit Dante Pittis on the two-point conversion to put Buffalo ahead for good.
That late push capped a night that was mostly about evaluation, not established stars. The Bills sat all of their starters and also kept several second-stringers out, a sign of how much of the roster had already been settled.
Earlier in the week, general Brandon Beane said that "50-ish" roster spots were already settled. For everyone else, Thursday was one last chance to make a case for a practice squad job, and Buffalo closed the preseason without a loss.
The defense gave the Bills plenty to like when Pittsburgh wasn’t working with a short field. Damar Hamlin came away with an interception, and Phidarian Mathis chased down Steelers quarterback Will Howard for a coverage sack. Through the first half, Buffalo’s pass defense held Pittsburgh to just 47 net passing yards.
There were a few offensive bright spots, too, and Skyler Bell probably made the loudest one. He caught four passes in the first half, then broke loose for a 28-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Bell finished with 77 all-purpose yards and made his case in his lone preseason appearance. Frank Gore Jr. also helped himself with a steady showing, running with authority and contributing in the passing game.
Tommy Doman may have helped his own roster chances as well. The punter averaged 52 yards on four kicks, including a 59-yard blast that was downed at the five-yard line. In a tight battle, that kind of day matters.
But Buffalo also handed Pittsburgh too much help. Ray Davis muffed a punt that led to the Steelers’ first touchdown, and Mitch Wishnowsky followed that up with a 19-yard shank that gave Pittsburgh the ball deep in Bills territory and set up another score. The special teams issues didn’t stop there, either, because Buffalo also allowed a punt return touchdown in the fourth quarter.
The offense never really found a steady rhythm. The Bills punted four times in the first half and had trouble putting together sustained drives.
The run game never got rolling. Mecole Hardman also hurt his chances in the wide receiver battle with another drop, and his special teams work may not be enough to keep him around.
Buffalo’s defense looked far less organized after halftime. Pittsburgh moved the ball easily to start the second half and stretched its lead, including an Eli Heidenreich nine-yard touchdown run off the right tackle with little resistance from the Bills.
Even with the uneven stretches, the Bills finished the preseason in the win column, and several players left a final impression. Bell, Doman, cornerback Kani Walker and Mike Danna all stood out in different ways. Beane and the front office still have roster decisions to make before Sunday’s 6 p.m. deadline.
Now the focus shifts to the real thing. Buffalo opens the 2026 season in Houston, beginning a three-game stretch against non-divisional opponents. The Bills will also be chasing better results than last year’s 23-19 loss to the Texans, when they gave up eight sacks and turned the ball over three times against a Davis Mills-led Houston team.
In Other News...
Bills Fans Missed A Damar Hamlin Moment That Suddenly Matters
Damar Hamlins preseason has already been about more than just getting back into the flow of football, and his latest step came in a moment many viewers did not even see live. During the Bills win over the Steelers, a broadcast camera error kept fans from watching Hamlin come away with an interception, a play that quickly took on a little more weight because of where he is in camp and how hard he is pushing for a roster spot.
The NFL later posted a clip of the play, but the reaction around it suggested plenty of people felt the moment deserved better than a secondhand look. Hamlin has now picked off passes in each of his last two games, while Pittsburgh quarterback Will Howard is also in a position battle of his own, adding a little extra edge to what should have been one of the more memorable snaps of the preseason. [Read more 🡒]
Kaiir Elam Is Facing Another Brutal Reality Check After Buffalo
Roster cutdown week is always unforgiving, and for former Bills first-round cornerback Kaiir Elam, it has brought another harsh reminder of how quickly an NFL path can change. Buffalo moved on from him, he later landed with Dallas and Tennessee, and this offseason he signed with the Chiefs, a team that has plenty to sort out before Sundays 53-man deadline.
According to a report from Arrowhead Addict, Elams preseason showing has left him on shaky ground in Kansas City. For a player who arrived there looking for a fresh start, the timing is rough, and the next roster move will say plenty about whether his career gets another shot or faces yet another reset. [Read more 🡒]
Bills End Preseason Perfect With One Roster Question Still Looming
The Bills finished their preseason on a high note, slipping past the Steelers 28-27 in the finale on a last-gasp sequence that showed exactly why these August games still matter. Ian Wheeler scored the winning touchdown, and Steve Buechele found Dante Pettis on the two-point conversion that ultimately made the difference, while Buffalos defense got one final stop when Drew Allars fourth-down pass fell incomplete.
It also marked a welcome step forward for Michael Hoecht, who made his preseason debut after working back from an Achilles tendon injury. For a roster that has spent the month sorting through depth and trying to settle a few lingering decisions, the unbeaten exhibition run gave Buffalo plenty to like, even if the final picture still has one important question hanging over it. [Read more 🡒]