The Buffalo Bills took to the practice field for the first time this week, and the big story of the day did not revolve around the upcoming matchup with the New York Giants. Instead, it was the status of two big-named offensive players that generated all the headlines.
Including those big names, here are five notes from Wednesday’s practice:
1) Shady in doubt for Sunday
- Limited in Sunday’s victory over Miami, top running back LeSean McCoy has been rumored to be a candidate to sit in the upcoming contest over the past several days. On Monday, NFL.com reported that McCoy was unlikely to play, and the Bills didn’t give any indication that that line of thinking was incorrect.
“I think he’s got a little bit of that hamstring issue and all that type of stuff. So he’s certainly not 100-percent. That’s what I mentioned after the game. But will it hold him out? You know we’re holding him out certainly right now for practice. You know there’s a real possibility he won’t play in this game.”
Later on in the day, Ryan told WFAN660 in New York that “we all know [McCoy] doesn’t” have a great chance to play on Sunday. As you can see below, McCoy wasn’t even working along the side with trainers at practice Wednesday. If all the signs are correct, McCoy will be getting a true week off to rest the injury.
The Shady & Sammy Show pic.twitter.com/uqmQBKoCGY
— Joe Buscaglia (@JoeBuscaglia) September 30, 2015
2) Sammy, too
- Calf injuries aren’t anything to mess with, and that seems to be the way the Bills are approaching the situation with Sammy Watkins. The wide receiver played in only 12 offensive snaps on Sunday against Miami before leaving in the first quarter with the calf injury. Now, like McCoy, Watkins sat out of practice on Wednesday. Rex Ryan said “I’m not sure,” as to whether Watkins would play, and then later told WFAN660 in New York this:
“Will he play? Probably not.”
It has to be frustrating for Watkins, who has had little injuries since he started with the Bills in 2014. It did not, however, keep him from missing any time during his rookie season. It appears Watkins is in jeopardy of missing his first ever game due to injury, and he knows all the little ailments aren’t conducive to getting to the playing level that he desires:
Sammy Watkins w/ an interesting quote about getting frustrated by injuries andWAIT A MINUTE DID HE JUST SAY *ELITE*? pic.twitter.com/M3NiBYuF9b
— Joe Buscaglia (@JoeBuscaglia) September 30, 2015
3) Aaron Williams takes a step forward
- The Buffalo Bills endured a frightening moment when they watched starting safety get driven out of Ralph Wilson Stadium in an ambulance with a neck injury. Williams spent the entirety of last week away from practice, and was said to be very sore by the Bills. As it happens, the injury may only cost Williams a week or two of his season. Just a week-and-a-half removed from that ride in an ambulance, Williams was back on the field practicing in a limited capacity. Defensively, the Bills have few weak spots, and really the most glaring one is when Bacarri Rambo is in the lineup. Williams’ return, whether it be this week or next, will be a welcomed sight.
4) Rex takes a shot at NFL scheduling
- Through the first five weeks of the season, the Bills will be up against three teams that are coming in with an extended period of time in between games. The Patriots played the Bills after a Thursday night game the week before, the Giants will be doing the same thing this weekend, and after that the Tennessee Titans will be coming off their bye week ahead of the game with the Bills. It’s an issue fans have been more vocal with than the actual teams, but, Rex Ryan couldn’t help himself in his ongoing stream of consciousness at the podium.
“I don’t think the Giants are gonna come in here and feel sorry for us. They’re gonna take the time, the extra days that they got…which is interesting, that’s two out of the four games…just a side bar. But they’re not gonna feel sorry for us.”
5) Miller and Harvin headline rest of injury report
- In addition to McCoy and Watkins, the Bills held out two other offensive players from Wednesday — and two starters at that. Right guard John Miller and wide receiver Percy Harvin both did not participate, but for much different reasons. Miller suffered a groin injury during Sunday’s win over Miami and could not continue the rest of the way. He was replaced by backup Kraig Urbik, and once again, Urbik was the man taking the snaps with the first-team offense. As for Harvin, he continued along with the same formula from the last three weeks: get Wednesday off to rest his hip injury, and then get back to practice in full on Thursday. That, of course, is the expectation, and the Bills certainly need him with Watkins potentially out:
Percy Harvin gets a rest day, caught him as he was heading over to the weight room #Bills pic.twitter.com/S8wIOrFS2L
— Joe Buscaglia (@JoeBuscaglia) September 30, 2015
Rounding out the injury report, wide receiver Marquise Goodwin was limited after missing his third straight game with fractured ribs, kicker Dan Carpenter was limited with a knee injury, while linebacker Preston Brown (hamstring) and quarterback Tyrod Taylor (ankle) were full participants. Rookie linebacker Tony Steward graduated from the injury report and was not listed.
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