It was pretty apparent during the Buffalo Bills' loss to the Baltimore Ravens Sunday that C.J. Spiller, who entered the game with an ailing quad and left with a bum ankle, wasn't 100 percent.
But in talking with reporters Monday, it seemed like Spiller didn't really care how he was labeled, he just wants in on the team's Thursday night matchup with the Cleveland Browns.
"If I can get to at least 85 to 90 (percent), I’m going to give it a go," Spiller said. "Like I said, the only thing I can do right now is just take it day by day and see how it feels come Thursday. Good thing it’s a night game, so we’re going to be able to get a lot of treatment in between now and Thursday."
Spiller has yet to find the end zone, but he's been grinding it out alongside Fred Jackson for a pretty potent one-two punch thus far in the Bills' new run schematic. The 26-year-old has amassed 230 yards on 66 carries, while his veteran counterpart has tallied 256 yards on 48 carries.
Jackson didn't escape the team's Week 4 win unscathed either, telling buffalobills.com he sprained his MCL. He said that it's "not as significant" as his previous injury to the knee, however, and he expects to play, as well.
Back to Spiller, the playmaker seems fully aware that working his way back on a short week isn't going to be easy. Given his myriad of injuries and subsequent drop in touches these first few weeks though, the former Clemson product appears to be fine with wherever he is percentage-wise come game time, as long as the coaching staff gives him the OK to play.
"You’ve got Monday, Tuesday, travel Wednesday, Thursday," he said. "If it was a Sunday game I’d definitely say I’d be out there. I’m going to do everything I can to position myself to be out there. If I can get to at least 80, 85 (percent) I think that would be good enough for me to play."
"You’ve got Monday, Tuesday, travel Wednesday, Thursday," he said. "If it was a Sunday game I’d definitely say I’d be out there. I’m going to do everything I can to position myself to be out there. If I can get to at least 80, 85 (percent) I think that would be good enough for me to play."
