EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Observed and heard in the locker room after the Buffalo Bills' 43-23 win over the New York Jets:
Coach Doug Marrone wasn't happy about Sammy Watkins' premature celebration that cost him a touchdown on an 84-yard catch in the second quarter. "There's a lot of people that were upset," Marrone said. "We weren't hurt by it because we were able to come back and score, and I don't really expect a guy like Sammy to ever do that again." Marrone pulled aside Watkins after the play. "I said, 'There were people on that sideline' -- meaning his teammates -- 'that were upset. We're playing our butts off, and we don't have time for stuff like that,'" Marrone said. "Those are the things we have to work on -- winning and growing up."
As noted by the Buffalo News before Sunday's game, the Jets were the first team with a 1-6 record to be favored over a winning team in recorded betting history. Marrone used the Jets' three-point edge by the oddsmakers as motivation for his team in a pregame meeting. "We were the underdogs tonight," wide receiver Mike Williams said. "A lot of guys took it personally, and we went out and played." Center Eric Wood called it "insulting," adding, "They have a good football team, but based upon records and everything you would have assumed we would have been favored."
After Kyle Orton's fourth-quarter touchdown pass to tight end Scott Chandler, Williams returned to the locker room to find a dime for his quarterback. According to Williams, Orton asked "What's this?" when Williams presented the coin to Orton. "I'm giving it back to you because you just threw one," Williams responded. "I think he was hitting tonight," the veteran receiver added.
As for Williams' future with the team, the NFL trading deadline is Tuesday, and the possibility of a trade still exists. "Of course, a lot of interest out there. But I love being here and I keep telling [my agent] that, too," he said. "I'm a Bill until otherwise." Williams said he will stay in town during the upcoming bye week. "Stay with the team and whatever and listen. Hopefully I'll be a Bill next week," he added.
