ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — For the fourth time in five years as the Indianapolis Colts head coach, Frank Reich will return for a game at One Bills Drive.
It's the second time the former Bills quarterback, who led Buffalo to a 41-38 win and 32-point comeback victory in overtime in the wild card game against the Houston Oilers in the 1992-1993 season, and his team will be in Orchard Park for the preseason.
"Everything's a dress rehearsal. We know the score doesn't matter as far as in the big picture, but everything matters as far as us getting better as a team and us determining who's making this team," Reich said.
"So, this is a great opportunity for individuals to showcase what they have and really for us as units – as an offensive, defensive and special teams unit. Just to show good, clean, sound, fundamental football. Penalty-free football, that's really what you're looking for."
Sean McDermott is looking for the same thing - and how the players adjusting to the atmosphere, too. How do the guys trying to make the roster shine under the lights?
"We got a little taste of it the other night in the red and blue scrimmage, which is part of the reason why we do it, just trying to get a feel for who can take what they've done in practice and transfer it into a game-like atmosphere," McDermott said.
"That will be the lens that we view the preseason game through to see who can do that. If any of those players struggled with the first go-around, seeing how they grew from that red and blue scrimmage until now."
Even with nearly 36,000 fans at Highmark Stadium for a scrimmage, the new Bills will get a different taste of Western New York's appetite for this team early Saturday evening when Buffalo and Indianapolis kick off at 4 p.m.
