Kevin Kolb is trying not to panic. After a freak accident during training camp, the Buffalo Bills quarterback has been sidelined with an injured knee. For most starting quarterbacks this would not be a huge setback, but for Kolb, there is a rookie chasing his tail and every minute he is on the sideline the other man is playing. E.J. Manuel took advantage of Kolb's injury by impressing in his preseason debut, leaving many to wonder if he will remain the starter.
Kolb returned to practice on Monday. While he is stressing that he is taking things slowly, he also noted that he pushed really hard to get back onto the field.
"I think we're taking it slowly and carefully," Kolb said via the Buffalo News. "But I'm trying to push the envelope a little bit. I'm trying to get out there and get a little part of this fun."
Did Kolb push the envelope a little bit because Manuel played so well in the team's preseason game again the Indianapolis Colts? The rookie played the entire first half of the Bills win, finishing strong going 16-of-21 for 107 yards and a touchdown. He did not throw a single interception and the only low point was a botched handoff to running back C.J. Spiller.
Manuel looked comfortable for a rookie making his first NFL start. He led the team on a 95-yard drive in the last two minutes of the game, going 9-for-9 in passing.
"Here you are right before a half, 1:50, three timeouts left, and you're making decisions. Are we going to try to run out the clock? Are we going to go 2-minute? Hey, let's go 2-minute," Bills coach Doug Marrone said. "To do that is very impressive, no matter who you are."
So where does this leave Kolb? Well for now, it leaves him on the sidelines for Friday's preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings. The team announced that Manuel would be receiving the start once again as Kolb continues to heal his knee.
The more impressive Manuel looks as the team's quarterback, the more likely it is that he is under center Week 1 for the team. Marrone has remained relatively coy on who would be the starting quarterback while Kolb had been sitting on top of the depth chart. Marrone notes that Manuel looks very settled in during practice and has really take big strides in understanding the offense.
It is hard not to feel sorry for Kolb, but if Alex Smith has taught football fans anything, it is that one injury can change an entire career no matter how minor it is. The Bills will go with the hot hand and Manuel is just that.
