Since the beginning of training camp, Buffalo Bills third-string quarterback Jeff Tuel said he's been preparing as if he were the starter.
Good thing he was thinking ahead.
Monday, Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone told the media the team plans to start Tuel Week 1 against the New England Patriots. Rookie E.J. Manuel and veteran Kevin Kolb, who were originally fighting over the team's No. 1 QB gig, are sidelined with a knee and head injury, respectively.
The Bills signed former first-round bust Matt Leinart and traded for Thaddeus Lewis Sunday, and we wrote last night that a Week 1 start for Leinart wasn't out of the realm of possibility.
However, Buffalo will move forward with their undrafted signal-caller out of Washington State to post up behind center assuming neither Manuel nor Kolb are ready to go.
Tuel has been given a hefty helping of first-team reps and exhibition snaps thanks to the two quarterback ahead of him making trips on and off the injury list.
"Every rep you learn something and get better. So just to be able to have those reps earlier in the preseason has been huge for me," Tuel recently told BuffaloBills.com "It’s really going to help me going into this week and hopefully into the season.”
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