BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Bills are set to play in their second preseason game of the year against the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Saturday night.
In the team's preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts last weekend, we saw most of the Bills roster take the field except for a few starters.
Guys like Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs both did not see any game action, however, that's about to change on Saturday when Allen and the rest of the starters who didn't play last weekend make their preseason debut in Pittsburgh.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott confirmed the news before practice on Thursday that all of the starters will play about a quarter and a half in the team's second preseason game against the Steelers.
For McDermott, he said that his reasoning for doing so, is pretty basic.
"Simply put, it's to get them ready for the season," McDermott said. "We took a little bit of a different approach last year, and this year we're going back to what we've somewhat done in years past."
In fact, Allen played just one series against the Broncos in their preseason last year, which ended up as a six-play, 70-yard drive ending in an impressive touchdown pass to Gabe Davis.
This season, Allen will be seeing much more playing time come Game 2 of the preseason on Saturday.
"Again, just trying to do right by the players and get them ready to go for week one," McDermott said. "It's like anything else. You want to get them ready, and as much dress rehearsals as you can put them in to make sure they're ready to go. I think that's what you do."
Another big part of the day on Saturday will be for Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, as he will be playing in front of family and friends back in his hometown of Pittsburgh.
"I'm going to see my entire family. I'm going to see my entire city. I think it will probably be electric down there, I can't wait," Hamlin said.
Hamlin has been making some pretty significant milestones in his comeback journey over the past couple of weeks and months. He started first by wearing full-pads at training camp in Pittsford and has now most recently on Saturday played in his first game since suffering cardiac arrest and collapsing on the field in Cincinnati earlier this year.
"It was super fun," Hamlin said. "It was a great experience. Just another milestone on the step of getting back to myself as far as in the football space and in the NFL. So, just chopping this tree down as much as I can, one step by one."
However, on Saturday, Hamlin's journey will hit an entirely new phase of emotions.
"Just like there's so much love in Buffalo, it's the same love in Pittsburgh," Hamlin said. "That's why I can really claim Buffalo as home, because since I got here, it's been so much love, it's like I got adopted into another environment."
"The cities have so many similarities," Hamlin said. "Just as far as culture and just how everyone's like a big family. There's so much support around sports and around life so going home, it will be just like turning back into this stadium."
In addition to his love for the city of Pittsburgh due to its proximity to where he grew up, Hamlin also spent time there in the offseason with his Chasing M's foundation as a part of his CPR tour. Hamlin's tour also went through Buffalo and Cincinnati, clearly the other two very important places in his life and journey.
Saturday's preseason game in Pittsburgh at Acrisure Stadium kicks off at 6:30 p.m.