This Sunday the Bills will again be without one of their most explosive offensive weapons in LeSean McCoy. However, it sounds as if Sammy Watkins has a slight chance to suit up and play against the Titans in Nashville this weekend. Listed as questionable, Watkins will see how his hamstring feels Sunday morning and could be a game time decision.
After not participating in practice Wednesday or Thursday, Watkins was limited in Friday's practice and at least has a chance to be available Sunday.
"Obviously I feel really good about how he's progressing," said head coach Rex Ryan. "He's doing a great job. He's excited and hopefully we get him back."
For Watkins the calf, which he strained in Week 3 at Miami, feels good. The question is how long would it hold up at game speed?
"Mentally and physically I feel like I can go out there and play," said Watkins, who only took a handful of team reps Friday. "It's just about how long can I play? I've been working out and running around, but it's more serious when you're in the heat of the moment and you're grinding it out for 30 or 40 plays and staying on the field."
Watkins plan for now is to get a workout in on Sunday morning before the game with team doctors on hand to observe and evaluate his condition.
"When I'm working out if I'm feeling good the medical staff will let me know where I'm at," he said. "One thing they don't want me to do is go out there and make the wrong decision and set myself back two or three more weeks. It's really based on how they look at me and how they evaluate it and see if I'm babying it. If I'm putting all my weight on it and running good routes. That's what it comes down to.
"I'll just test it and see if I can go. If I can go I'm going to play. And if I feel like it's not time and it's tightening up then I won't play. It's all with the doctors really."
Watkins felt the calf strain stemmed from running too many routes during pre-game warmups in Miami. It was a humid afternoon and the receiver felt he lost a lot of the hydration levels he had built up for the game over the course of the week.
"I was out there for an hour and everything in me was basically out because I went out there and ran so many routes," he said. "Then coming back out (for the game) I didn't have any energy. That first drive I was cramping and I worked through it and it worked itself out. But as I kept playing it kept on tightening up after that first catch and I knew something was wrong and it wasn't a cramp anymore. So I think that's when I hurt it."
Watkins said the prognosis for his injury was two weeks, which is why Sunday's game is still in play.
"Of course one more week would help, but if I can go and feel good then I think I should play," said Watkins. "We'll see Sunday. It takes two weeks and the 14th day will be Sunday. You just never know. If I can go out there and play then I'll play. If I can't then I'll wait a week and be ready for next week."
McCoy rehabbingMeanwhile feature back LeSean McCoy continues to work his way through his rehab regimen after his hamstring setback suffered in the week leading up to the Dolphins game. He has been ruled out for Sunday's game.
"It's going to take some time to get back," he said Friday. "I'm doing fine. Doing treatments and rehab and all those types of things." McCoy also revealed the initial timetable he was given for his injury.
"The injury was a three or four week injury," said McCoy. "Now the injury may say that, but everybody is different. Everyone's body heals differently and I'm a quick healer. So I doubt it'll take four weeks to be back."
