It might only be preseason, but nobody told the Buffalo Bills that the final minutes didn’t matter.
The Bills erased a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit and pulled off a dramatic 28-27 comeback victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers Thursday night at Highmark Stadium, putting the finishing touches on a perfect 3-0 preseason.
Pittsburgh controlled much of the night and jumped out to a 14-3 first-quarter lead, taking advantage of Buffalo mistakes and short fields. Steelers quarterback Will Howard threw a pair of early touchdown passes, while Buffalo struggled to find much rhythm offensively.
But the Bills kept hanging around.
Damar Hamlin helped change the momentum with an interception, and Frank Gore Jr. turned the takeaway into points with a one-yard touchdown run that pulled Buffalo within four before halftime.
Then rookie Skyler Bell gave Bills fans a glimpse of what he can bring.
Making his preseason debut after dealing with an injury, Bell exploded around the edge for a 28-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. He also caught seven passes for 49 yards, finishing as Buffalo’s leader in both receiving and rushing yards.
Pittsburgh wasn’t finished.
Kaden Wetjen’s 45-yard punt-return touchdown pushed the Steelers’ advantage to 27-17 early in the fourth, and suddenly Buffalo needed two scores.
That’s when things got interesting.
Tyler Bass drilled a 42-yard field goal to make it 27-20, the Bills defense came up with the stops it needed, and quarterback Shane Buechele got the football back with 3:20 remaining and a chance to win it.
He delivered.
Buechele connected with Dante Pettis for 16 yards before another deep shot toward Pettis drew a huge pass-interference penalty.
With Buffalo knocking on the door, Ian Wheeler punched it in from two yards out.
27-26.
Instead of settling for overtime in a preseason game, Buffalo went for the win.
Under heavy pressure and fading backward, Buechele somehow found Pettis in the end zone for the two-point conversion.
Bills 28. Steelers 27.
Pittsburgh got one final opportunity, but Buffalo’s defense slammed the door to complete the comeback.
Buechele finished 26-of-38 for 196 yards, while Gore contributed 72 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown. Bass connected on both of his field-goal attempts as Buffalo finished its exhibition schedule unbeaten.
Sure, it’s preseason.
The standings won’t remember it.
But for the players fighting for the final spots on Buffalo’s roster, this one meant something.
Down 10 in the fourth.
Touchdown.
Go for two.
Get the stop.
Finish 3-0.
The preseason is over. Next stop: Week 1.
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