TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Shane Buechele threw for 278 yards and one touchdown and the Buffalo Bills beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-19 on Saturday night.
Reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen didn’t play for the Bills (1-2), finishing his first preseason without seeing any game action.
Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield also didn’t take any snaps in exhibition games for the first time in his career.
With both teams resting starters, players competing for snaps, backup positions and roster spots battled for 60 minutes — except for Buccaneers rookie safety Shilo Sanders.
He was ejected for throwing a punch at Zach Davidson in the second quarter. Sanders, the son of Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, is battling for a roster spot after going undrafted out of Colorado, where he played for his father. He was also penalized for pass interference earlier in the game.
Buechele, who spent last season on injured reserve, could get a look from another team with Allen, Mitchell Trubisky and Mike White ahead of him in Buffalo. He finished 25 of 30.
Kyle Trask made his case to be Tampa Bay’s backup quarterback, completing 13 of 17 passes for 93 yards and one touchdown. Trask, a second-round pick in 2021, has thrown 11 passes in the regular season in his career.
General manager Jason Licht said on the team’s TV broadcast a decision on whether Trask or veteran Teddy Bridgewater will back up Mayfield hasn’t been made yet.
Rookie Connor Bazelak played the second half, going 12 of 19 for 107 yards with a 1-yard TD pass to Garrett Greene in the final two minutes for the Bucs (2-1).
Frank Gore Jr. ran 1 yard up the middle for a score to give the Bills a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
Gore had 32 yards rushing and two catches for 29 yards.
Bills wide receiver Tyrell Shavers may have boosted his chances of making the team with an excellent, one-handed, diving catch for an 11-yard touchdown over cornerback Bryce Hall, who had tight coverage on the play.
Buccaneers wideout Tez Johnson made the highlight reel for a sensational flip celebrating his 1-yard TD catch that cut Buffalo’s lead to 14-10.
Running it back
The Buccaneers averaged 38 yards on five kickoff returns. Josh Williams had three returns for an average of 36 yards with a long of 42. Kameron Johnson returned one 57 yards.
The Bills had a 31.6-yard average on five kick returns, including a 38-yarder by Laviska Shenault.
Bringing the boot
Bills tight end Zach Davidson handled the punting duties because punter Brad Robbins was sick. Davidson, a punter at Central Missouri, drilled a 62-yarder on his first try. It was returned 22 yards. His second and last punt went 42 yards and was returned for 5.
Injuries
Bills: CB Tre’Davious White sustained a lower leg injury in practice this week, according to general manager Brandon Beane. There’s no timeline yet for White’s return. … Wide receiver Curtis Samuel didn’t make the trip due to an illness.
Buccaneers: General manager Jason Licht said on the team’s broadcast that All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs could return to the starting lineup before wide receiver Chris Godwin. Wirfs had knee surgery in the offseason and is expected to miss a few games. Godwin is still recovering from a severe ankle injury suffered in Week 7 last season.
Up next
Bills open the regular season at home against the Baltimore Ravens on “Sunday Night Football” on Sept. 7.