Orchard Park, NY (WGR 550) -- The general thoughts and feelings around the NFL hold true to the idea that the third preseason game is the most important of the four contests a team will play each year. That's a strong reason why the Buffalo Bills have elected to treat their upcoming tilt with the Pittsburgh Steelers the same way they would for a regular season game.
"We need to practice that," Gailey said of the game plan install on Tuesday afternoon. "We've got some new staff members, we've got a new defense. We've got a whole new system of things we're trying to get done so we're practicing game week just like we practice everything else."
As practice went along, the Bills' first and second units on both sides of the ball went up against the scout team at One Bills Drive. The scout team offense and defense were there to provide those players with some looks they might see against Pittsburgh on Saturday night.
Since it was the team's first run-through preparations like this for an upcoming game, Gailey commented on the tempo of the first of three install days.
"There were some glitches to be honest with you," the head coach concluded. "We told them we were gonna practice just like a game week this week. We go spiders on Wednesday, pads on Thursday and then spiders back again on Friday, so we're doing it the same way this week. We're trying to learn our tempo in spiders. Without pads on you've got to have great tempo and we've got to learn that."
With the third preseason game having the reputation of being the dress rehearsal for most teams, this will be the most time the first-string plays throughout the preseason. Gailey said the first-team will likely play the entire first half, and maybe even a series in to the second half.
Johnny White, Cris Hill, Dorin Dickerson, Josh Nesbitt, Zebrie Sanders, Erik Pears, Mike Caussin and Mark Anderson all were non-participants on Tuesday. The Bills resume practice on Wednesday at 3:30 pm in Orchard Park.
E-Mail
Print
