The Buffalo Bills have their quarterback back.
Coach Doug Marrone told WGR-AM on Friday that rookie EJ Manuel will start in Sunday's tilt against the flailing Pittsburgh Steelers.
Manuel hasn't played since suffering an LCL injury in his right knee back in Week 5 against the Cleveland Browns. His return to the lineup comes as no surprise after he practiced on a limited basis last week before taking on a full workload with the offense in this week's sessions.
"He's done a very good job," Marrone told the team's offical website Friday. "It was a challenge for him not being out there for four weeks. So we worked very hard on the mental aspect and the preparation aspect. He did a great job of that. He came out there this week and had a good week of practice. So we're excited about putting him back out there on the field."
Manuel's absence elevated Thad Lewis and then Jeff Tuel into starting roles during a four-game stretch that saw Buffalo go 1-3 and fall to 3-6 on the season.
We expect an embattled Steelers defense to unleash a flurry of well-disguised blitzes to test Manuel out of the gate. If the Bills have any chance of climbing back into the AFC playoff picture, the rookie better shake off the rust in a hurry.
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