It was pretty clear to Sammy Watkins that things in the huddle were going to be a little different at practice on Wednesday. New starting quarterback Kyle Orton was clear, concise and demanding. The other 10 players in the huddle knew right away where they stood with their new signal caller.
"I just play my game," said Orton. "I think first and foremost just let the guys know who you are in the huddle, how I like to run the huddle, what I expect of them. We'll go from there. We got off to a great start (Wednesday)."
Orton appeared to have good on-field chemistry with his wideouts in his first full day of taking first team reps in preparation for Sunday's game at Detroit. According to his teammates he was hitting receivers in stride on deep routes and capably diagnosing the Lions' defensive looks by the scout team.
"It went pretty good with Kyle starting," said Watkins. "We just had a different approach to practice. He demanded what he wanted out of us. We just had to go out there and get on the same page and practice hard."
When asked how it was different Watkins noted Orton's command of the offense and the unit.
"He's more of a veteran guy and the way he talked and the way he handled business and the way he looks at plays and breaks down defenses is kind of different," Watkins said. "He's reading it quicker and the ball is coming out faster and those are some things that we have to adjust to."
Head coach Doug Marrone confirmed that they've got the freedom to put anything they want in a game plan from their offensive playbook despite the fact that Orton has been here all of a month.
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"I think we've got a full game of plays in (this week) and I feel comfortable," Orton said. "I've felt comfortable for the last two or three weeks. The coaches have done a good job. (Quarterbacks coach) Todd Downing has done a great job with me over the four or five weeks that I've been here. I feel comfortable with everything in the playbook."
According to teammates Orton was getting the ball out quick and his ball location was consistent. Getting adjusted to Orton is something the rest of the unit has to pull off in just three days of on field work and be ready to face Detroit. But the quarterback's veteran presence seems to have the minds of the other 10 players at ease.
"He's a 10-year vet so he knows what Mike (Williams) can do, what I can do and what Robert (Woods) can do and how fast everybody can run," said Orton. "So far he's been doing a great job."
Orton likes the talent that now surrounds him on offense feeling there are two running backs who can shoulder the load along with an offensive line that can execute. He's most excited about the young receiving corps which he hopes to make use of on Sunday.
"I think we've got a lot of good players," he said. "We've got some guys outside that can really make plays. I think this passing game can really get going and they're young guys, but they want to do it the right way and they want to make plays."
As for expectations Marrone is looking for Orton to provide what he asks of every other player who takes the field. Play winning football.
"(I have) the same expectations that I have every week for every position —to take what we've done in the classroom, how we want to prepare, how we want to attack, go out there and be aggressive and go for it. My expectation with him is to go out there and play football well enough for us to win."