Aug 9, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Mike White (14) throws the ball against the New York Giants during the second half at Highmark Stadium. Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Is Bills' preseason opener to Giants loss an omen for regular season?

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI
By Richie Whitt | Last updated Aug 10, 2025 7:55 AM ET

In reaction to the Buffalo Bills' 34-25 preseason loss to the New York Giants at Highmark Stadium on Saturday, Bills Mafia could react one of two ways...

1) Be alarmed aghast by a porous pass defense that surrendered 317 yards and three touchdowns to Giants' quarterbacks Russell Wilson, Jaxson Dart, Tommy DeVito and Jameis Winston and recorded 0 sacks in 51 drop-backs.

2) Be comforted that it's the preseason, where teams results and final scores are overshadowed by individual performances.

Both of Josh Allen's backups — Mitch Trubisky and Mike White — had efficient passing days for the Buffalo Bills, and running back Ray Davis made a PAT as an emergency kicker as Buffalo played its final preseason game ever at "old" Highmark.

The final score, of course, is irrelevant.

With prolonged offseasons and joint practices during training camps, NFL preseason games have become further diminished. NFL Network analyst Kyle Brandt this week called the NFL preseason "fake Christmas." With the Bills, like most NFL teams, there is little to no correlation between preseason results and regular-season records.

For example, the Detroit Lions went 4-0 in the 2008 preseason, then 0-16 in the regular season. The Bills went 3-0 in the preseason and then 11-6 in 2021, and 2-1 in 2022 in route to 13-3. In 2023 they were again 2-1 before finishing 11-6, but last year went 1-2 before authoring a regular season of 13-4.

Back during the magical four-year Super Bowl run of Jim Kelly, Bruce Smith and now-100-year-old Marv Levy, the Bills had preseasons of 0-4 (1990), 2-3 (1991), 2-2 (1992) and 2-3 (1993).

Bottom line: The Bills are 0-1. But their quarterback situation behind Allen looks to be in good hands.