Steelers Bills
Steelers Bills
The Pittsburgh Steelers played their third and final preseason game on Thursday night, visiting the Buffalo Bills’ new Highmark Stadium. The Steelers went home with a 28-27 loss.
The Bills got the ball first, and just like last week, the Steelers’ defense gave up a long opening drive. Buffalo went 59 yards on 13 plays, and the drive ended with a 33-yard field goal from Tyler Bass to make it a 3-0 game.
Will Howard took the field to start, and things got off to a rough start. Howard was sacked on the first play, and the Steelers had to punt shortly after. But they got a massive break, with Ray Davis muffing the punt to give the Steelers the ball at the 13-yard line.
The muffed punt by Bills #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/9dCoYzK5is
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) August 27, 2026
One play later, Howard hit Germie Bernard for a quick score. The extra point made it a 7-3 ballgame.
WILL to GERM TD!!!! #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/mTSgZ2om0O
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) August 27, 2026
The Steelers stepped up defensively, especially with the pass rush, and forced a quick three and out. A poor punt gave the Steelers the ball well inside Buffalo’s territory, and the Steelers capitalized. Howard hit Lew Nichols for 13 yards to get near the end zone. Shortly after, Howard found Lake McRee for five yards and a touchdown to make it a 14-3 game.
Howard to McRee TD !!!!!!!!!!!! #Steelers pic.twitter.com/a81C3AKfMQ
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) August 27, 2026
The first quarter came to a close as Buffalo was forced into a quick punt again. After picking up a first down, the Steelers had a mishap of their own. After connecting for a touchdown in the first quarter, Howard and McRee miscommunicated on a route, with McRee running a corner and Howard throwing a dig. It resulted in a ball that sailed right into the arms of Damar Hamlin for an easy interception.
Will Howard INT #Steelers pic.twitter.com/Dt6dH5ZR8Z
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) August 27, 2026
It only took the Bills six plays to go 49 yards, with an 18-yard catch and run from Frank Gore Jr. getting them to the goal line. Gore punched it in from a yard out on the next play, and the lead was cut to 14-10.
The Steelers managed to dig themselves out of 2nd and 14 and move the chains, but Will Howard was sacked on the next third down, and the Steelers punted. The defense stood tall, getting off the field after a three and out.
Fresh into his preseason debut, Max Iheanachor allowed a sack which derailed the Steelers’ next drive. Buffalo tried to engineer a two-minute drive, but couldn’t keep things going and punted back to Pittsburgh with 35 seconds left in the half. The Steelers’ drive was largely a mess, and the clock ended up running out. The Steelers went into the locker room holding a 14-10 lead over the Bills after a very messy half of preseason football.
Drew Allar entered the game as the Steelers started the second half with the ball. The Steelers moved the chains twice, then Allar hit Max Hurleman for a big 25-yard gain to get into the red zone. Moments later, Eli Heidenreich ran nine yards around the right end for a touchdown, and the extra point made it 21-10.
ELI TD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #Steelers pic.twitter.com/8ZNaZ2OkOG
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) August 28, 2026
It didn’t take long for the Bills to find an answer, though. Shane Buechele found Gore again for 24 yards, and moments later Syler Bell took a sweep 28 yards for a score, with most of the Steelers’ defense looking lost. The extra point cut the lead to 21-17. Each team forced quick three and outs, and the Steelers got the ball back with a chance to extend their lead. The Steelers managed to finally pick up another first down, and sat at their 31-yard line as the fourth quarter ended.
Allar and Lane Mason formed a connection, connecting for a couple completions on the drive. But the offense stalled once again after Allar missed Kaden Wetjen on third down. Backed up against the end zone, the Steelers’ defense nearly forced a safety, then got a stop on third down.
Then, Kaden Wetjen was able to show off his explosiveness. Returning the punt, he cut back across the field and scored on a 45-yard return. There was an unnecessary roughness call on the extra point, so the Steelers went for two. Allar threw incomplete for Hurleman, and the score was 27-17 with just over 11 minutes left.
Kaden Wetjen punt return TD!!!!!!!!!! #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/3AkpUbZHMd
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) August 28, 2026
Buffalo needed an answer, and it didn’t take long to get into the Steelers’ half of the field. Buechele hit Max Tomczak for 20 yards to get the Bills near the red zone. The drive stalled there, but Bass hit a 44-yard field goal to cut the lead to 27-20.
The Steelers started to run the clock down, and faced a 4th and 4 near midfield with just over three minutes left. Allar found Jakobie Keeney-James for a first down, but he couldn’t reel the pass in and the Steelers turned it over. Buffalo faced a quick 3rd and 14, but Buechele found Dante Pettis for a first down as we hit the two-minute warning.
Right out of the break, Buechele looked deep and threw incomplete, but Tamon Lynum was called for pass interference to give Buffalo the ball at the seven-yard line. Buffalo got down to the goal line, and Ian Wheeler ran it in for a touchdown. Buffalo went for two hoping to take the lead, and scored to make it a 28-27 ballgame.
The Steelers got the ball back with just over a minute left. Allar quickly faced a 3rd and 7, and threw incomplete to the sideline. On 4th and 7, Allar threw incomplete in between receivers, and the Bills were then able to ice the game. The Steelers lost 28-27.
Pittsburgh has finished it’s preseason slate with a record of 1-2. The Steelers take the field next against the Atlanta Falcons, at home in Week 1.
Steelers
Steelers