Location: Raymond James Stadium

Final score: Bills 23, Bucs 19

Preseason Records: Bills (1-2), Bucs (2-1)

Next opponent: Week 1 — Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, September 7th at 8:20 pm ET

The Buffalo Bills went down south to Tamp Bay for the final 2025 preseason game and beat the Buccaneers, with an outstanding showing from Bills quarterback Shane Buechele. Here is how it all went down.

First Quarter

In a rainy Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers and quarterback Kyle Trask had a scoreless opening drive, going three-and-out.

Bills quarterback Shane Buechele led Buffalo on a 12-play drive that was ignited by a short pass from Buechele to RB Frank Gore Jr., who picked up 21 yards from the Bucs' 45-yard line. A short pass to WR K.J. Hamler that was originally ruled a touchdown but reversed set the Bills up with a first-and-goal at the 1-yard line. Gore Jr. punched it in to give Buffalo a 7-0 lead.

Struggling to answer back, the Bills defense was all over Trask. Rookie DT Deone Walker and DT A.J. Epenesa combined for a sack. To close out the drive, S Cole Bishop broke up a pass to force the punt.

On Buffalo's last drive of the quarter, a three-and-out led to a crazy sequence in which TE Zach Davidson filled in for P Brad Robbins who missed Saturday's game with an illness. Davidson looked like a vet and calmly blasted a 62-yard punt.

Second Quarter

Tampa continued with the ball into the second quarter from Buffalo's 47-yard line. After a couple of plays and a breakup by Bills safety Tre Herndon, the drive ended on 4th-and-13, forcing a 35-yard field goal that was made by kicker Chase McLaughlin to get Tampa on the board, 7-3.

The Bills wasted no time scoring again on their next drive. After a 30-yard pickup by WR K.J. Hamler to get to the Bucs' 34-yard line, Buffalo cashed in a few players later. Buechele found WR Tyrell Shavers for a one-handed catch in the end zone to extend the lead to 14-3.

With halftime nearing, Trask led Tampa on an 11-play, 50-yard drive, connecting with WR Tez Johnson for a touchdown to cut the lead to 14-10. But with 58 seconds to go, Buechele moved the Bills 49 yards to set up K Tyler Bass, who drilled a 37-yard field goal to close the quarter at 17-10.

Third Quarter

Buffalo burned more than half of the clock in the third quarter before ending the drive with another 37-yard field goal by Bass to go up 20-10.

Tampa fought back with QB Connor Bazelak but moved nowhere following a 57-yard kickoff return to start the drive in Buffalo territory, picking up only six yards. McLaughlin converted a 50-yard field goal to make it a seven-point game, 20-13.

The Bills drove 39 yards from their own 40 before Bass hit a 39-yard field goal to extend the lead to 23-13.

Tampa had the ball and tried to drive until the Bills defense made a huge play. CB Zy Alexander forced a fumble and LB Jimmy Ciarlo recovered to give Buffalo possession as the quarter ended.

Fourth Quarter

The Bills' possession stalled to open the fourth and Davidson booted a 42-yard punt.

The Buccaneers were attacked again by the Bills defense on third down, as DE Nelson Ceaser recorded a sack to force a punt with just over 12 minutes left in the game.

Buffalo drove from its own 39-yard line but came up short on 3rd-and-5 at the Bucs' 8-yard line. Bass attempted a 26-yard field goal but missed, keeping the score 23-13.

Bazelak hit WR Keyshawn Johnson for 30 yards to move into Buffalo territory. A few plays later on third-and-goal, Trask found WR Garrett Greene for a touchdown to cut the score to 23-19. Tampa attempted a 2-point conversion, but LB Jimmy Carlio and DT Casey Rogers denied it.

The Bills clinched the win in their preseason finale and will head back to Buffalo to prepare for the regular season.

Key stats:

• Bills QB Shane Buechele: 25-30 for 278 passing yards, and 1 touchdown
• Bills leading receiver: Kristian Wilkerson (5 receptions for 46 yards)
• Bills honorable mention receiver: Tyrell Shavers (2 receptions for 24 yards & 1 touchdown)
• Bills leading rusher: Elijah Young (16 carries for 53 yards)
• Bills second-leading rusher: Frank Gore Jr. (10 carries for 32 yards & 1 touchdown)