Bills coach Sean McDermott wants his team to gather around the same “campfire” more so that “we’re all singing the song the right way.”
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills hit the practice field Wednesday at One Bills Drive ahead of their Monday night game against their AFC East rival, the New York Jets. Here are some highlights from practice and the team’s media availability:
Key elements on practicing offensive lapses
While there won’t be an official report on the team’s injuries until Thursday, coach Sean McDermott provided some updates during his Wednesday press conference. Khalil Shakir was unable to practice due to an ankle injury that forced him to miss Sunday’s loss at Houston.
Wide receiver Curtis Samuel and running back James Cook joined him in being ruled out of practice. According to McDermott, both are suffering from foot and toe injuries and were seen working on the bike during the media portion of training.
Receiver Mack Hollins was not among the injuries McDermott mentioned before practice, but he was practicing in a non-contact redshirt.
Rapp clears concussion protocol
Defensively, the Bills received some positive injury news, with safety Taylor Rapp clearing concussion protocol. Rapp was a normal participant in drills in the media portion of practice, but we’ll have to wait until Thursday to see if Rapp is considered a full participant by the team.
Defensive tackle Ed Oliver (hamstring) missed Wednesday’s practice after not playing Sunday against the Texans. Cornerback Taron Johnson (forearm) and defensive tackle Austin Johnson (oblique) were considered limited today, according to McDermott.
Sean McDermott’s Campfire Analogy
With the teams’ struggles over the past two weeks and the Texans’ late-game time management blunder, improving communication has been a topic of discussion for Sean McDermott.
The Bills coach had an interesting metaphor Wednesday to explain how the team seeks to be on the same page and make sure all parts of the team are aligned during the week and on game day .
“As it is in football, you have different meeting rooms. (Offensive) line, running backs, linebackers, well sometimes what’s going on in this campfire here and that’s being said from a way, can be said differently in this campfire here,” McDermott said. “So sometimes we have to gather around the campfire a little bit more so we all sing the song the right way. It’s a bit of a strange analogy, I guess, but honestly, that’s how I see it.”
Here is an expanded version of the answer:
