Game Recap

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Bills 28, Steelers 27 | Final Score, recap + highlights

Aug 27, 2026 at 10:51 PM

Mike Maynard

Seasonal Writing Associate

Location: Highmark Stadium

Final score: Bills 28, Steelers 27

Records: Bills (3-0), Steelers (2-1)

Next opponent: Bills vs. Texans Sunday, Sept. 13 at 1:00 p.m. EST

The Bills completed an undefeated preseason with a comeback victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night. After falling behind midway through the first quarter, the team didn't regain the lead until the final drive of the night.

Game Recap

Buffalo got the ball with 3:20 left in the fourth quarter, down 27-20 at its own 41-yard line. WR Dante Pettis had an undefeated preseason on his mind, getting the offense moving with a 16-yard catch over the middle.

QB Shane Buechele went right back to Pettis on the next play, targeting him on a deep post route. Pettis was hit before the pass arrived for a pass interference call, giving his team 40 yards in the process.

Two plays later, RB Ian Wheeler ran in a two-yard touchdown, setting up a two-point conversion attempt. Buechele backpedaled with a defender in his face, finding Pettis open near the front right pylon, making the catch in the end zone for the game-winner.

The Bills offense came out of halftime facing a 21-10 deficit, wanting to put up some points to start a comeback. After grinding out a first down, Buechele faked a handoff to RB Frank Gore Jr., quickly getting the ball to him through the air in the right flat.

Gore Jr. turned on the jets, making a move to pick up 24 yards down the sideline. Rookie WR Skyler Bell then took over for Buffalo, catching a 12-yard pass before receiving an end-around handoff heading to the right side. The fourth-rounder hit the edge, beating all of the Steelers' defenders to the sideline and not stopping until he found paydirt for a 28-yard touchdown run.

Bell saw his first game action of the season on Thursday night, after dealing with an injury over the past few weeks. The rookie brought in seven receptions for 49 yards in his debut along with the rushing touchdown, leading the Bills in both receiving and rushing.

Just as the Bills' comeback attempt got under way, a drive backed up deep in their own territory stalled out, forcing a punt. P Tommy Doman Jr. let one fly from his own end zone, with Pittsburgh WR Kaden Wetjen taking the return all the way back for a 45-yard touchdown.

Buffalo got out to a 3-0 lead early, and after successfully forcing a three-and-out on the first defensive drive of the night, RB Ray Davis lined up back deep to return a Pittsburgh punt. The 26-year-old couldn't handle the sky-high kick near the right sideline, with the Steelers recovering after the muff.

Now with the ball just 13 yards away from the end zone, Pittsburgh needed just one play to punch it in. Steelers QB Will Howard found WR Germie Bernard in the right flat, breaking a tackle and scampering in to shock the Buffalo sideline.

The following defensive drive also came backed up in rough field position after an errant punt gave Pittsburgh the ball at the Bills' 28-yard line. Just five plays later, Howard found TE Lake McRee in the left flat, who dove in from five yards out for a touchdown.

Despite surrendering 14 points early, the Buffalo defense settled back in with the Steelers backed up at their 18-yard line. Six plays into the drive, S Damar Hamlin found himself in the right place at the right time on a third and five, getting a pass thrown right to him for an easy interception.

After struggling to get going throughout the first three offensive drives of the night, Gore Jr. took matters into his own hands off the turnover. Starting at the opposing 49-yard line, the 24-year-old got three carries in a row that he took for 15 yards, along with 15 more coming from a facemask required to take him down.

One incompletion later, Buechele hit Gore Jr. in the right flat on a screen pass, watching him juke out a defender and get all the way down to the one-yard line. The Bills went back to the well again, paving the way for Gore Jr. to punch in a one-yard touchdown run.

Gore Jr. finished his night with 27 yards on the ground on 10 carries, having even more success in the receiving game out of the backfield. The running back tallied five catches for 45 yards, just shy of leading the team.

Buechele got the start under center on Thursday, playing all four quarters and finishing his night with 196 yards on 26-of-38 passing.

Creating consistent pressure on the quarterback didn't come easy in Preseason Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns, but those same struggles didn't remain on Thursday night. Three different players tallied a sack in the win, along with three additional quarterback hits.

ILB Keonta Jenkins had one of the sacks for the Bills, flying in on a blitz through the middle on the first defensive play of the night. The 24-year-old also led the team in tackling overall, finishing the night with six tackles, all solo.

K Tyler Bass got two chances to kick for Buffalo in the win, making both attempts from 33 and 42 yards out.

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Buffalo Bills vs Pittsburgh Steelers, Preseason, August 27, 2025 at Highmark Stadium.

Emilee Fails/Buffalo Bills

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Buffalo Bills vs Pittsburgh Steelers, Preseason, August 27, 2025 at Highmark Stadium.

Emilee Fails/Buffalo Bills

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Buffalo Bills vs Pittsburgh Steelers, Preseason, August 27, 2025 at Highmark Stadium.

Emilee Fails/Buffalo Bills

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Buffalo Bills vs Pittsburgh Steelers, Preseason, August 27, 2025 at Highmark Stadium.

Emilee Fails/Buffalo Bills

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Buffalo Bills vs Pittsburgh Steelers, Preseason, August 27, 2025 at Highmark Stadium.

Emilee Fails/Buffalo Bills