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The Buffalo Bills closed their preseason undefeated with a 28-27 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night at Orchard Park. Ian Wheeler punched in a 2-yard touchdown run with 1:06 remaining, and Steve Buechele subsequently found Dante Pettis in the end zone on an off-balance 2-point conversion pass that proved decisive.
Pittsburgh squandered a 10-point advantage in the final seven minutes of play. Drew Allar’s unsuccessful fourth-down pass attempt with 44 seconds left—a throw that sailed behind tight end Lake McRee—ended the Steelers’ bid for a comeback. The loss dropped Pittsburgh to 1-2 in the preseason while Buffalo improved to 3-0.
Buechele orchestrated the Bills’ comeback effort from the quarterback position, completing 26 of 38 passes for 196 yards. A 42-yard pass interference penalty against Tamon Lymum on Pettis set up Buffalo’s game-winning drive at the Pittsburgh 7-yard line. Frank Gore Jr. and rookie receiver Skyler Bell also scored for Buffalo, with Bell adding seven receptions for 49 yards on a 28-yard reverse touchdown.
Will Howard started for Pittsburgh and went 9 of 15 with two touchdowns and an interception in the first half. Allar completed 9 of 18 passes for 88 yards and orchestrated a touchdown drive in the second half capped by Elie Heidenreich’s 9-yard scoring run. Kaden Wetjen’s 45-yard punt return for a touchdown had given the Steelers a 27-17 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Pittsburgh’s Ben Skowronek, a special teams standout, departed the game after suffering an apparent head injury while tackling Mecole Hardman on a kickoff return in the first half and did not return. Buffalo edge rusher Michael Hoecht made his preseason debut, marking his return to game action nearly 10 months after tearing his right Achilles tendon.
Both teams open their regular seasons on September 13. The Steelers host Atlanta while the Bills travel to Houston.
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