Orchard Park, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Bills opened their preseason on Saturday with the final exhibition game at the current Highmark Stadium against the New York Giants. However, the game didn't go in Buffalo's favor in a 34-25 loss in Orchard Park.
The Giants' started the contest with the football, sending quarterback Russell Wilson and the first-team offense onto the field first. Buffalo's defense stifled the Giants' offensive attack, holding them to a 53-yard field goal from kicker Graham Gano.
The Bills opened the game offensively with quarterback Mitch Trubisky at the helm, as Buffalo elected not to play Josh Allen for the first preseason game. However, the Bills couldn't gain any traction on the opening drive, as an early false start backed them up five yards, setting up an eventual three-and-out.
The Giants tacked on to their lead in the second quarter with rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart now in the game. He found wide receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey on a 28-yard pass on the left sideline for a touchdown to put the Giants up 10-0.
Buffalo was able to answer right back, though, with their first touchdown of the day.
Trubisky was able to drive the offense into the red zone with the help of running back Ty Johnson, before finding tight end Dawson Knox for an 11-yard touchdown.
With kicker Tyler Bass still dealing with some pelvic area soreness, the Bills ended up turning to second-year running back Ray Davis, who booted the extra point through the uprights to cut the New York lead to 10-7.
Before the end of the first half, the Giants were able to tac on two more field goals, both from 50-plus yards out to extend their lead to 16-7.
However, the Bills weren't done before halftime, taking on three points from kicker Caden Davis to make it a 16-10 contest heading into the locker room. The kick was set up by a 59-yard connection between Trubisky and wide receiver Tyrell Shavers.
The pace cooled off exponentially in the second half with punts on the opening four drives.
Roughly eight minutes into the third quarter, the Bills finally found paydirt with Mike White now under center. White was able to connect with wide receiver K.J. Hamler down the field for a 39-yard touchdown pass to give Buffalo a 17-16 lead.
The Giants regained the lead with Jameis Winston at quarterback, as the veteran found wideout Gunner Olszewski on a 7-yard touchdown pass. New York then extended its lead to seven thanks to a successful two-point conversion attempt.
To open the fourth quarter, the Bills answered right back with a touchdown and two-point conversion attempt of their own.
This time, White was able to find running back Darrynton Evans on a short 7-yard pass for a touchdown. Then on the two-point attempt, White was able to successfully connect with Laviska Shenault Jr. to put the Bills up by one, 25-24.
Now with Tommy DeVito in at quarterback for the Giants, New York went right back down the field to take the lead back with a field goal from Jude McAtamney from 42 yards out.
With just over two minutes remaining and a chance for the Bills to close out the game late, a costly error between center Jacob Bayer and quarterback Shane Buechele gave the ball back to the Giants. Bayer's snap on a 1st-and-10 at the Buffalo 45-yard line went over the head of Buechele, and the Bills quarterback failed to come up with the ball as it bounced around behind the line of scrimmage.
Just three plays later for the Giants after the recovery, DeVito put the game out of reach with a 7-yard connection with Jonathan Ward to go up by two possessions with 2:11 remaining.
Despite the Bills driving down the field in the dying moments of regulation, a 4th-and-goal at the Giants' 1-yard line came up short, as running back Frank Gore Jr. failed to get the ball across the plane of the goal line before his knee hit the turf on a tackle.
New York then closed out the win with a couple of tush push plays to kill the remaining time left on the clock.
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SCORING RECAP:
First Quarter:
- 3-0 NEW YORK: Giants Field Goal - Graham Gano's 53-yard field goal attempt is good.
Drive info: 12 plays, 30 yards, 7:40
Second Quarter:
- 10-0 NEW YORK: Giants Touchdown - Jaxson Dart connects deep with Lil'Jordan Humphrey for a 28-yard touchdown pass. (Graham Gano's extra point attempt is good)
Drive info: 7 plays, 80 yards, 2:52
- 10-7 NEW YORK: Bills Touchdown - Mitch Trubisky tosses an 11-yard touchdown pass to Dawson Knox. (Ray Davis' extra point attempt is good)
Drive info: 6 plays, 68 yards, 3:22
- 13-7 NEW YORK: Giants Field Goal - Graham Gano's 50-yard field goal attempt is good.
Drive info: 12 plays, 51 yards, 4:31
- 16-7 NEW YORK: Giants Field Goal - Graham Gano's 51-yard field goal attempt is good.
Drive info: 7 plays, 31 yards, 1:57
- 16-10: Bills Field Goal - Caden Davis' 24-yard field goal attempt is good.
Drive info: 3 plays, 65 yards, 0:27
Third Quarter:
- 17-16 BUFFALO: Bills Touchdown - Mike White fires a 39-yard touchdown pass to K.J. Hamler. (Caden Davis' extra point attempt is good)
Drive info: 4 plays, 45 yards, 1:24
- 24-17 NEW YORK: Giants Touchdown - Jameis Winston connects with Gunner Olszewski for a 7-yard touchdown pass. (New York's two-point conversion attempt is successful)
Drive info: 11 plays, 67 yards, 6:00
Fourth Quarter:
- 25-24 BUFFALO: Bills Touchdown - Mike White finds Darrynton Evans for a 7-yard touchdown pass. (Buffalo's two-point conversion attempt is successful)
Drive info: 8 plays, 73 yards, 4:36
- 27-25 NEW YORK: Giants Field Goal - Jude McAtamney's 42-yard field goal attempt is good.
Drive info: 11 plays, 52 yards, 4:22
- 34-25 NEW YORK: Giants Touchdown - Tommy DeVito connect with Jonathan Ward for an 8-yard touchdown pass. (Jude McAtamney's extra point attempt is good)
Drive info: 3 plays, 14 yards, 0:16
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SKYWORKS EQUIPMENT RENTAL STATS OF THE GAME:
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What's next:
The Bills will travel to Chicago to take on the Bears next Sunday, Aug. 17. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. You can catch all of the action on the radio home of the Buffalo Bills, WGR Sports Radio 550.