In the Thursday night preseason finale, the Buffalo Bills secured a 28‑27 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers thanks to a dramatic 2‑point conversion late in the fourth quarter. With 1:06 left on the clock, Ian Wheeler ran for a 2‑yard touchdown, and quarterback Steve Buechel, playing in a backup role, completed an off‑balance pass to Dante Pettis for the decisive conversion.
Key moments
The Steelers had a final chance to retake the lead, but Drew Allar’s pass fell incomplete behind tight end Lake McRee on fourth‑and‑7 with 44 seconds remaining. Allar, a rookie competing for the third‑string quarterback spot, struggled to separate himself from veteran Will Howard in the battle for depth.
Buffalo entered the game 3‑0, while Pittsburgh fell to 1‑2 after squandering a 10‑point lead in the last seven minutes. The Bills’ go‑ahead score was set up by a 42‑yard pass‑interference penalty against Steelers defender Tamon Lymum, moving the ball to the 7‑yard line.
Individual performances
Steve Buechel finished 26‑for‑38 for 196 yards, handling the quarterback duties after primary backup Kyle Allen appeared to lock down the role behind starter Josh Allen. Wide receiver Dante Pettis was the target of the winning conversion, finding space along the left side of the goal line.
Buffalo’s ground game featured a 1‑yard touchdown run by Frank Gore Jr. and a 28‑yard reverse by rookie wideout Skyler Bell, who also recorded seven catches for 49 yards. For the Steelers, Kaden Wetjen returned a punt 45 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, giving Pittsburgh a brief 27‑17 lead.
Injury note
Special teams player Ben Skowronek suffered a head injury while tackling Mecole Hardman on a kickoff return in the first half. He was escorted off the field and did not return.
Preseason context
The game featured mostly backup players, serving as the final showcase before NFL teams trim rosters to 53 players by the upcoming Sunday deadline. Pittsburgh continues to evaluate its quarterback depth, especially with Aaron Rodgers announcing his final season, while Buffalo solidified its backup quarterback hierarchy.
Both teams will open the regular season on September 13: the Steelers host the Atlanta Falcons at home, and the Bills travel to Houston to face the Texans.
Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.
