Here are three final thoughts following the Steelers' 43-19 preseason loss to the Bills in Buffalo.

**

BACK IN THE SADDLE:** Mike Vick appeared under center the third time the Steelers gained possession and led a drive that gained 79 yards to the Bills' 1 before the march eventually stalled and the Steelers settled for a field goal.

"I didn't know I was going in that early," Vick admitted.

He wound up 4-for-5 passing for 106 yards, including a 63-yard completion to wide receiver Martavis Bryant on Vick's first play with the Steelers.

Vick also carried once for 1 yard and was sacked once for a loss of 8 yards.

"This time last week I was at home watching preseason games," Vick said. "It's been great. By the grace of God I was able to find a job. I found an opportunity, to say the least.

"I'm just thankful to be back in the NFL. I love playing football. This game is for me and I want to continue to do it. I feel good. My body is in great shape, the arm is still there. I just have to stay focused on the mental side and just keep getting better.

"You're never too old to make progress and that's what I want to do for this team. It's all about trying to help this team win in whatever way I can."

**

FITTING IN:** DeAngelo Williams started at running back in place of Le'Veon Bell, something Williams figures to do on Sept. 10 at New England and on Sept. 20 against San Francisco while Bell sits out his two-game NFL suspension.

Williams carried three times for 15 yards and a touchdown, caught a pass for 10 yards and ran in a two-point conversion despite slipping to the turf at the start of the play.

"I felt pretty good," Williams said. "We just translated what we do in practice over to the game. What you saw was what we see in practice all the time."

Williams downplayed his ability to make a smooth transition from Carolina to Pittsburgh this preseason, mostly because he maintained there isn't much of a transition to be made.

"Football is football," he said. "Whether you're playing in Carolina, whether you're playing in Pittsburgh, whether you're playing in Baltimore, the only thing different is the terminology.

"It's just getting an understanding of the terminology. Once you get that it's just like playing ball when you were in school."

ANOTHER INJURY: Kicker Garrett Hartley's kickoff following a 28-yard field goal in the first quarter might be his last for some time. Hartley injured his right hamstring on the subsequent kickoff and didn't return.

"It doesn't look good," Tomlin assessed. "We gotta MRI him but it didn't look positive in terms of the opener (at New England)."