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Tuesday has been an interesting day for Buffalo Bills fans, who are now mulling over the realistic possibility that EJ Manuel will be under center when the Bills host the 5-0 Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday in Orchard Park.
Why would Manuel be playing, you ask? Because not only is starter Tyrod Taylor "beat up" and "sore," he evidently has ankle and knee injuries that could cost him not only this week's game, but perhaps more.
Tyrod Taylor could miss multiple games with an MCL sprain suffered on a horse-collar tackle Sun. Bills will prepare EJ Manuel to start Sun..
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) October 13, 2015
Taylor's knee was messed up Sunday. Can confirm that it's not only the ankle, but the knee, that's bothering him, now. Could be EJ MANUEL.
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) October 13, 2015
#NFL source: "Apparently Tyrod Taylor is hurt pretty bad." #Bills checked passport status of potential QB additions for Week 7 London trip.
— Vic Carucci (@viccarucci) October 13, 2015
Adding fuel to the fire, the Bills signed veteran quarterback Josh Johnson to their 53-man roster on Tuesday. If Taylor does miss time, Johnson would serve as Manuel's backup.
The Bills are coming off a game in which they accounted for a paltry 209 yards of offense in an ugly road win over Tennessee. Taylor - as a passer, runner, and receiver - accounted for 189 of those yards. He did that in a game where two running backs (LeSean McCoy and Karlos Williams) and a receiver (Sammy Watkins) that can legitimately be argued as the three most important skill players on the team all sat out due to injury. It's a distinct possibility (if remote, given Watkins' perceived progress) that all three miss the Bengals game, with Taylor joining them on the injured list.
So, yeah. Fun little Tuesday we're having. Given that Taylor finished that win over Tennessee, this may strike you as out of left field, even though the fact that he was banged up was pretty common knowledge. Manuel has not started in the regular season since Week 4 of 2014.