What is the story about?
Preseason
Week 3 is a wrap, and the Buffalo Bills close out the exhibition slate with a 26-7 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Highmark Stadium. Thanks for your love in the first article of this series, and glad to be back for another one. Here’s everything I wrote down as it happened.
1st Half
- Skyler Bell moves fluidly and is a huge mismatch running routes inside. The way he moves reminds me of Stefon Diggs a lot.
- Shane Buechele isn’t close to Kyle Allen as a passer. And Allen isn’t great.
- Trent Sherfield is a lock to make this roster IMO.
- Joe Andreessen will make the team. They wouldn’t keep him out of this game if he wasn’t part of their roster. They’d give him a chance to put up more on tape for his NFL future elsewhere.
- Keonta Jenkins in trouble? Maybe PS bound again.
- Mitch Wishnowsky is gone. A 19-yard punt when battling for his life? Oof.
- Ray Davis messed up with his punt return case. Better now than in week 1, I guess? It might cost the Bills a roster spot, though. The punt returner job might not be settled. Mecole Hardman hasn’t been good, Khalil Shakir is simply a guy for safety there. Maybe Keon Coleman will get another shot? I’m not very excited about any of those options.
- A battle for the CB2 job in week 3 of preseason? Davison Igbinosun is giving Maxwell Hairston a run for his money. I won’t be surprised to see him alongside Christian Benford in week 1.
- T.J. Parker reminds me of Shaq Lawson right now. I know Shaq never became what we expected from him, but that’s not a bad comp for T.J. as he starts his career. He has the potential to become better and more complete.
- I wouldn’t keep Damar Hamlin or Geno Stone in my 53, going with Jordan Hancock and Jalon Kilgore as my backup safeties. I think the Bills will carry one of them, though. Hamlin’s probably getting the nod with another INT.
- Phidarian Mathis looks good, too bad he’s on PEDs.
- Kani Walker is an awesome find. Undrafted? This guy looks better than Levi Wallace, who was also undrafted, and Dane Jackson, who was a 7th-round pick. He’s young Benford-like, but Benford was a 6th round pick. Awesome find.
- Andre Jones Jr. giving Max Iheanachor, a 1st round pick, some trouble is a good look for somebody who’s fighting for a PS place.
- Rough half for the OL.
2nd Half
- Nice to see Bell being moved around and getting open no matter where he lined up. It’s against backups at this point or even people who won’t make the team, but we’re talking about a 4th round pick, it’s not like he’s supposed to be a stud out of the gate. His versatility will give him opportunities.
- I’ve heard all the talk about the new stadium, but I’ll tell you one thing: it looks gorgeous on TV, especially as the night comes.
- It’s just preseason, and with a lot of backups and camp bodies on the field at this point, but I’m really excited for the new defensive schemes. Jim Leonhard’s defense should be fun.
- Bad bad look for the Special Teams allowing that punt return for a TD. No discipline, poor angles, and even worse tackling. Teaching tape on what not to do for the guys in the final 53.
- That Pittsburgh PR, though. Dude is a real weapon. (Kaden Wetjen, 4th round pick). One of the best punt returners coming out of college recently (Two-time Jet Award winner, 2024-25).
- It’s extremely frustrating how Buechele doesn’t risk anything downfield, like, ever. Give his WRs a chance to make some plays. It’s always a check-down or scrambling. (He just gave Max Tomczak a shot as I was typing this, and guess what? It worked).
- I wish Ja’Mori Maclin had more chances, but, as said above, Buechele.
- Last drive and Buechele starts to let it fly. Gave Dante Pettis two chances and good things happened — a 1st down completion on 3rd and 14, and a long PI call setting the Bills up inside the 10.
- Pettis is an NFL receiver. He ate his competition alive late in the game, including on the game-winning 2-point conversion. Can he become the punt returner and make the team? I’d rather have him than Hardman, but I don’t think any of them make the team.
- 1 min left, 1-point game. The type of situation Sean McDermott’s D failed miserably, again and again. Not Leonhard’s though. 4 and out, game over. What’s that? Is it real life? Love to see it.
Catch up on all this and more with the latest edition of Leading the Charge!
