Here's the Bills news of note for Saturday, November 26:
1. LOOKING GOOD FOR WATKINS
The Bills will decide after their morning walk through today on whether to add Sammy Watkins back to the active roster. He made it through the heavy work of the practice week without any setbacks. His foot was surgically repaired last spring. Watkins has been out of action since week two and he'd provide a big shot in the arm for the Buffalo offense if he's active and able to play against the Jaguars tomorrow.
"I think he's good to go," Rex Ryan said immediately after Friday's practice.
Watkins says the two months off have given him fresh legs, but the hardest part of returning has been adjusting to game situations and defensive looks.
"That's one thing I've noticed about being out eight weeks," Watkins said earlier this week. "I would say my legs are fresh and I'm moving way faster than other guys. It's really just about reading defenses and just getting the feel of running routes."
2. GROY SETTLING IN AT CENTER
Ryan Groy will line up for his second consecutive start at center for the Bills tomorrow; his fifth NFL start in his three-year career.
But despite being an undrafted rookie with the Bears in 2014, Groy says he was well prepared for pro football by his offensive line coach at Wisconsin.
"Bob Bostad was my offensive line coach for three years there," Groy said this week, in an appearance on The John Murphy Show. "He's an amazing coach. He's had a couple of stints in the NFL with a couple of different teams. He taught me so much more than how to block people, he taught me about defenses and schemes and that kind of stuff."
Groy said that background with Bostad as a Badger set him up for success in the NFL, especially when he signed with the Bears and came under the tutelage of Aaron Kromer, now Buffalo's offensive line coach.
"They always believed I could be their type of offensive lineman," he says. "They're very technique oriented. His technique is a little bit different than any other coach in the NFL. I embraced it. I knew they were so big on technique that I had to learn exactly what they wanted."
3. BILLS FORMULA – DEFENSE AND TAKEAWAYS
The recipe hasn't changed for Rex Ryan's Bills – they're still dependent on defense and forcing turnovers. With two interceptions in Cincinnati last week, the Bills are now 3-0 this season when forcing two or more takeaways.
And throughout his coaching career, Ryan's teams have produced wins when they keep the opponent's point total low. His Bills and Jets teams are 50-15 when their opponents score 21 or fewer points. When they score 22 or more, Ryan's record is 9-48.
The Jaguars come to tomorrow's game averaging 19.3 points scored per game.
