There are still a couple of starting position battles to be settled, and the starting offense is dead set on reaching the end zone.
Buffalo Bills Insider Chris Brown provides the details. Heere is his report:
Tightening up offensive execution
The Bills offense by their own admission did not have a good night last week against the Eagles. They committed this week to putting together a convincing performance knowing the starters will be playing into the early stages of the third quarter Saturday at Baltimore.
“This is our full-dress rehearsal for the season. I’d like to see the offense find a rhythm,” said Richie Incognito. “I’d like to start picking up some chunks in the pass game and get the run game going. Everything kind of complementing one another. The defense has been putting us in a great position. We were killing ourselves with penalties and on special teams, starting backed up. I’d really like to start seeing the foundational pieces come together.”
“Hang onto the football, number one. We had way too many turnovers,” said offensive coordinator Rick Dennison. “We can’t do that to the defense and it stops any kind of progression that we’ve done so we’re hanging onto the football, we try and keep the same tempo and find our plays where we can.”
Playing time for McCoy
LeSean McCoy hasn’t played in a third preseason game in three years. He’s expected to play Saturday night, but how much is still a question. McDermott indicated McCoy’s workload could be close to that of the rest of the starters, but that could change.
“The starters I’d like to see them come out of the locker room at halftime and play a series or two give or take,” McDermott said. “LeSean will be around that area as a starter. So we’ll see how he feels. He’s been in this league long enough to know what he needs to do to get himself ready as he ramps up his rep cycle.”
“We’ve talked about that the last two days on how many reps or how long I should play,” said McCoy. “It’s hard because you always want to be safe, but you also want to get that game speed and get the flow of the game. I normally don’t really play as much in these games in my career. Sometimes I play, sometimes I don’t. It depends how I feel. We’ll figure it out. We’ll just go as the game goes.”
The last time McCoy even participated in a third preseason game was his last year with the Eagles in 2014 when he logged just 11 snaps.
Position battles
Right guard and right cornerback are the two main position battles among starting spots on offense and defense. McDermott confirmed that Vladimir Ducasse will start at right guard Saturday night.
“It’s still an open competition,” said McDermott. “Vlad will start this week. John started the first two games. They’ll continue to rotate with that guard position. That’s a healthy competition and one that’s been fun to watch so far.”
At right cornerback the candidates for the starting job has increased. It’s not just Shareece Wright and Kevon Seymour battling for the job opposite first-round pick Tre’Davious White. E.J. Gaines will also be part of that competition.
“It was a nice interception he made in the ballgame against Philly a few nights ago and that was encouraging to see, especially when you consider the amount of time we’ve had him prior to that game,” said defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier of Gaines. “We hope to come out of this ball game on Saturday with some confirmation on where we’re going at that right corner spot. Those guys will all get some snaps, we’ll try to get them against good competition, so we can make a good evaluation.”
Rookie Dion Dawkins will also start at left tackle with Cordy Glenn not expected to play.
“They have me at left because they need me there, but when the time comes to continue to compete at right, then I’m just going to jump back in it,” Dawkins said. “Whether it’s in the middle of the season, or first game, it doesn’t matter I’m going to keep it pushing forward.”
Fellow rookie Nate Peterman will serve as the backup quarterback for the second straight game.
The opponent
The Ravens come into their game against the Bills with a 2-0 mark in the preseason. They beat Washington 23-3 and then trounced Miami last week 31-7. Baltimore’s defense has been particularly stout in the preseason. Ranked first in total defense, the Ravens are allowing just 129 total yards per game.
They also rank first in yards per play (2.61), rushing yards allowed (42.5), passing yards allowed (86.5), passing yards per play (2.79), first downs allowed per game (8.5), points allowed per game (5) and point differential per game (22).
“Preseason is preseason, but we want to go out and every opportunity we have to showcase what we’ve got and shut the offense down,” said Ravens CB Jimmy Smith. “It’s the only thing that’s really going to matter because if they move the ball on us we’re not going to feel good about it at all. We keep talking about how strong (the defense) is, but the proof is in the pudding and how we play when we go out on Saturday will be what we really are.”
Meanwhile Baltimore’s offense will be short-handed on Saturday. The starting unit will be without LT Ronnie Stanley, WR Breshad Perriman, QB Joe Flacco and RB Danny Woodhead.
Flacco is trying to make a return from a back injury and the Ravens have already stated that their starting quarterback will miss the entire preseason. Backup Ryan Mallett is expected to start on Saturday.
Rookie CB Marlon Humphrey is also unlikely to play after suffering an injury in the last preseason game against Miami.
Pro Bowl G Marshal Yanda might make his preseason debut for the Ravens after practicing fully the past two weeks in his return from offseason shoulder surgery.
Sidelined
Out for the Bills on Saturday are WR Jeremy Butler (concussion), S Colt Anderson(foot), LB Tanner Vallejo (knee scope), and WR Rod Streater (toe).
Not expected to play are OT Cordy Glenn (foot) and WR Jordan Matthews (sternum).