The Buffalo Bills announced that rookie quarterback EJ Manuel will start the season opener against the Patriots on Sunday. The Bills released the news via a one-sentence press release early Wednesday morning.
After having minor surgery to remove fluid in his left knee, Manuel missed two weeks worth of practice and preseason games. Although he has missed time, the rookie quarterback is confident in his ability to perform at a high level on Sundays. “I expect greatness all (the) time. I know this is my first NFL game, but I’m not looking at it like that. I’m looking at it as the Buffalo Bills 2013 season, the first game of that,” Manuel said Wednesday.
Manuel was asked about wearing a brace when he addressed reporters after practice Wednesday. “I haven’t had any hesitations, it feels fine. It feels strong. I can do all my normal movements that I would do if I didn’t have the brace on,” Manuel added.
Rookie NFL head coach Doug Marrone believes he shares some of the responsibility with the recently named starting quarterback. When asked if he thinks Manuel can handle the pressure, Marrone said “Obviously that’s something that we have to prepare him for. That’s holding up on our end responsibility wise. It’s his first game, he’s going to go in there, we’re going to give him everything he needs to be successful and he’s going to go out there and play.”
After a solid first two starts in the preseason, it seemed Manuel was on pace to earn the starting nod over veteran quarterback Kevin Kolb before his injury. Kolb was unable to step up and win the quarterback competition with poor play and a concussion sustained in the third preseason game, leaving Jeff Tuel as currently the only other active quarterback on the Bills roster.
The Bills have only drafted two quarterbacks in the first round since Jim Kelly in 1983: Tulane’s JP Losman and Florida State’s Manuel. It seems that the pair of rookies (Marrone and Manuel) will be learning from each other entering week one.
