5 things to watch in Bills' second preseason game vs. Steelers: How long the starters will play, and more (2024)

PITTSBURGH – The Buffalo Bills’ defense needs to find some answers, and with just three weeks until the start of the regular season, time is starting to run short.

The team already faced a big question at safety with Mike Edwards and Cole Bishop both injured, leaving the starting job opposite Taylor Rapp wide open. Then disaster struck Thursday with the news that linebacker Matt Milano needs surgery to repair a torn biceps – an injury that will keep him out of the lineup long-term.

“We’ve got to be resilient,” head coach Sean McDermott said Thursday. “We’ve got to move forward and be focused on solutions.”

The next opportunity to find those solutions will come at 7 p.m. Saturday, when the Bills play the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium in their second preseason game. Starters are expected to play for about a quarter and a half, although the possibility of bad weather could alter that plan.

Here are five things worth watching:

1. Linebacker. Replacing Milano becomes the immediate No. 1 concern for the coaching staff. Second-year player Dorian Williams is expected to get the first crack at the job. Nicholas Morrow (groin) and Baylon Spector (calf) are injured, so they may not suit up against the Steelers. A good performance by Williams could go a long way toward earning the starting job in the Sept. 8 regular-season opener against Arizona.

2. Ty Johnson’s return. The Bills’ projected No. 2 running back has been out of the lineup because of a hamstring injury, but he returned to practice this week. Johnson missed the preseason opener against the Bears, giving rookie Ray Davis the opportunity for more playing time. Johnson risked falling behind in the race for playing time behind starter James Cook if he were to miss more time, so he should be eager to put a good performance on tape against the Steelers.

3. The returners. Put simply, the Bills collectively did not have a good game last week against the Bears in this regard. Whether it was K.J. Hamler or Daequan Hardy, they struggled tracking the ball inside Highmark Stadium. Gusty weather was certainly a factor, but that’s the case more often than not inside the Bills’ home stadium. No favorite has emerged to serve as the team’s kick returner or punt returner to this point. Special teams coordinator Matthew Smiley undoubtedly would like to see someone step up against the Steelers.

4. The run game. Whether it was Cook or Davis, the Bills’ running backs had absolutely nowhere to go against the Bears. Center Connor McGovern was quick to point out after the game that the Bills didn’t game-plan at all against Chicago and had only a few running plays in. Nevertheless, the Bills did not execute those few running plays well at all. McDermott is consistent after games in stressing the importance of winning the battle at the line of scrimmage. Against the Bears, the Bills fell short of doing that. The Steelers are actually an ideal preseason opponent in that they are traditionally a hard-nosed team. The Bills’ lines – both offensive and defensive – will be challenged.

5. Marquez Valdes-Scantling. The veteran receiver dropped the only target he got last week against the Bears. “I think he obviously wants the drop back from the other day, but I think you’ve seen if you’ve been in these practices the last few weeks, you can see his comfort level in being able to make plays both down the field and intermediate roles,” offensive coordinator Joe Brady said. “He’s comfortable in the offense now. He handled that one time when I wanted him to go down to the other field just to get more reps. He was excited about it, just getting the feel. He earned the opportunity to be getting all the reps with Josh (Allen) again. ... Josh trusts him, and he’s doing a really good job flowing with it.”

That may be the case, but it would be nice to see Valdes-Scantling bring that to the field. Doing so would provide some insurance behind the Bills’ top three receivers – Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir and Curtis Samuel.