1 – Quarterback balanceThe offensive staff has carefully scripted the snaps for each of the three quarterbacks in the competition for the starting job. Rex Ryan and his assistants have made a concerted effort to give equal opportunity to the signal callers, not just in terms of reps, but reps with the starting unit.
"They'll all have opportunities to play with the ones," said Ryan of his three competing quarterbacks. "We're going to have six possessions with the ones, six with the twos and six with the threes and all quarterbacks will have two possessions with the ones. We'll see if there's any separation."
Ryan also said that this is the first step toward real evaluation of the quarterbacks in a true game-like setting.
2 – Right tackle rotationFor most of the first week of training camp it was Cyrus Kouandjio as the starting right tackle. Then he stepped out of practice with knee soreness Wednesday and Seantrel Henderson stepped in. Henderson has had the majority of the starter reps at right tackle ever since.
"I think it's been really good for both guys," said Ryan of the right tackle battle. "They've been pushing each other and both of their play has been elevated. This is the ideal situation that you want as a coach. You want both guys pushing each other and at the end of the day both guys will be better for it."
Who spends more time with the first unit along with who performs more consistently will go a long way in determining who starts the first preseason game against Carolina next week.
3 – Darby ready for prime time?Bills top pick Ronald Darby has been thrust into the starting cornerback role opposite Stephon Gilmore with Leodis McKelvin out indefinitely. The second-round pick has done nothing but impress through the first week of camp. How he handles more of a game-like setting when assignments figure to vary more based on what the offense calls is something worth keeping an eye on Saturday.
He's been working on his footwork a lot in camp so he doesn't get tangled up when he comes out of his backpedal.
"I had a tendency to like get either like too narrow and won't be able to move my feet as well," Darby said. "So really just staying square and getting my hands on the receiver, slow down the route."
We'll see his technique holds up with a faster game speed.
