Bills Edge Steelers 28-27 in Preseason Rally

The Buffalo Bills edged the Pittsburgh Steelers 28-27 on Thursday night, using an 11-point fourth quarter to complete a preseason comeback at Highmark Stadium behind passing leader Shane Buechele. Buffalo climbed out of an early 14-3 hole, stayed composed through a back-and-forth finish, and closed its preseason slate unbeaten at 3-0.

Pittsburgh came out quickly and controlled the opening quarter, scoring 14 points while Buffalo managed only a field goal. The Bills steadied themselves in the second quarter with a touchdown and went into halftime down just 14-10. That mattered in a preseason finale where roster evaluations and late-game execution often carry as much weight as the final result.

The Steelers restored some breathing room in the third quarter, matching Buffalo’s touchdown to take a 21-17 lead into the final period. But Buffalo’s fourth-quarter response was the difference. The Bills scored 11 points over the final 15 minutes, while Pittsburgh produced six, allowing Buffalo to erase the deficit and finish one point ahead when the clock reached zero.

Key Performers

Buechele delivered the most productive passing line of the night for Buffalo, completing 26 of 38 attempts for 196 yards. The available game data does not list his touchdown or interception totals, but his volume helped the Bills sustain enough offense to keep the comeback within reach after the slow start.

Pittsburgh’s Lew Nichols led all rushers with 40 yards on seven carries, an efficient 5.7 yards per attempt. Nichols gave the Steelers a useful ground-game presence during their early surge and helped Pittsburgh build that 14-3 first-quarter advantage. His touchdown total was not included in the supplied leaders data.

Steelers pass catcher Max Hurleman led all receivers with three receptions for 50 yards. His 16.7-yard average per catch was the biggest receiving-yardage contribution listed from either side, showing Pittsburgh had several productive answers even as Buffalo’s fourth-quarter rally changed the result. Hurleman’s touchdown total was also not listed in the supplied game leaders.

NerdSports Stat: After falling behind 14-3 in the first quarter, Buffalo outscored Pittsburgh 25-13 across the final three quarters.

The final score also tells the story of the margin for error: neither team separated itself after the opening period. Buffalo’s seven points in the second quarter cut the deficit to four, and the clubs traded touchdowns in the third. The Bills then won the decisive fourth-quarter scoring battle 11-6. No overtime was needed, with Buffalo holding on to the 28-27 final in front of 59,001 fans in Orchard Park.

For the Steelers, the result drops their preseason record to 1-2, but the opening-quarter performance and contributions from Nichols and Hurleman offer useful positives as roster decisions approach. Buffalo enters the regular-season runway at 3-0 and will host the Houston Texans on Sunday, September 13. Pittsburgh will visit the Atlanta Falcons on the same day, with both clubs now turning from preseason evaluation to games that will shape their regular-season outlook.

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