Orchard Park, NY (SportsNetwork.com) – EJ Manuel has been benched and Kyle
Orton will start at quarterback for the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in Detroit.
Bills coach Doug Marrone announced the change Monday, a day after the team’s
23-17 loss in Houston dropped them to 2-2.
“Obviously as the head coach you’ve got to evaluate everything and at the end
of the day you’ve got to make the right decisions,” Marrone said, according to
the team’s official website.
Manuel, 24, has completed 53 percent of his passes in the last two games, both
losses, with three touchdown passes and two interceptions.
The 2013 first-round draft pick has thrown five touchdown passes and three
picks in the first four games. He started 10 games as a rookie last season,
passing for 1,972 yards and 11 touchdowns with nine interceptions.
Orton, 31, was signed last month after being released by the Dallas Cowboys in
July following speculation he wanted a pay raise and after he was a no-show at
minicamp.
He has also played for Chicago, Denver and Kansas City in his 10-year career,
passing for 15,019 yards and 83 touchdowns with 59 interceptions and a 35-35
record as a starter.
Orton started in place of Romo in the Cowboys’ winner-take-all NFC East loss
to Philadelphia in Week 17 last season after Romo had surgery to repair a
herniated disc in his back.
