By Mark Gaughan
NFL preseason results are virtually meaningless. NFL preseason football is a ripoff of the ticket-buying public. Those are facts.
The Bills never had a winning preseason record during the peak of their glory days under Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy, from 1988 through 1993. They went 0-4 with their best team, the 1990 squad. Even the mighty New England Patriots have posted a winning record in preseason in only five of Bill Belichick's 12 previous seasons.
Nevertheless, winning is a habit for the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of the NFL's model franchises (maybe THE model franchise). Over the past six preseasons, counting this year, the Steelers are 18-6 in preseason. That stretch has been presided over by current coach Mike Tomlin. He seems to like to win in preseason more than predecessor Bill Cowher. In Cowher's 15 seasons with Pittsburgh, he posted a winning exhibition record five times, had a losing record seven times and was .500 three times.
The Bills have had just three winning preseasons in their last 18 years, counting this season. This will be their eighth losing preseason in that 18-year span.
