Archives for October 8, 2013

‘The Bills added two players to their active roster on Monday. They promoted quarterback Thad Lewis to the active roster and announced he’d be the starting quarterback on Sunday for the injured EJ Manuel. Buffalo also claimed guard Antoine McClain off waivers, after the offensive lineman was released by Oakland.’

‘”Thaddeus has been with us the whole time, knows the system now, has been practicing with us and traveling with us,” said Marrone. “So at the point where we are now he gives us the best opportunity. He has experience. He has played in games. He knows the system.”‘

‘”I met with coach and he said, ‘We’re going to start you,'” said Lewis. “And I was like, ‘Okay.’ It’s not something you’re expecting, but it’s something you’re ready for no matter what happens.”‘

‘McClain entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Baltimore Ravens in 2012 and spent his rookie year on the team’s Practice Squad. He joined the Raiders on September 1st after being released by Baltimore prior to the regular season. The 6-5, 336-pound Clemson product started 41-of-54 games in his Tigers’ career. He started every game from the beginning of the 2009 season through 2011, the only member of the Clemson squad to do so.’

‘ I don’t take anything for granted. I’m just thrilled that they’re thrilled I’m here. Like I said, I just want to do my part and continue to be a part of this community that we’ve grown to love so much and have supported the causes that we’ve supported with our foundation and everything else. A big boost to our foundation too just to be able to be back in town consistently and looking forward to getting up to Roswell and seeing the kids, it’s been too long. Just glad to be here.’

‘”We do need to improve our play there,” said Marrone. “Doug has come back from an injury. He’s back and that’s going to be an open competition. Both of those players will play at left guard against Cincinnati. How we’re going to do it, we still haven’t finalized that plan whether it’s quarters or series whatever it may be. That we’re going to work out during the week with the players for the best situation for all of us.”‘

‘Like every week, you don’t just sit there on practice squad and not prepare as if you’re a starter because that’s your job, this is what you’re supposed to do. You have to learn, you have to know the things that you have to do. I’ve been doing that every week, so this will just be a regular week for me; I just get the chance to start.’

‘ I’m real eager, I just want to do what I can to get back on the field and help this team produce wins. Whatever I can do to help the team win, I’m down for.’

‘What happened today was this has been going on, obviously a long thought process. I’m one guy that tries to make sure that as soon as I get information I get it out. The decision was going through the night, sleeping on it, waking up this morning. I had a team meeting, I wanted to make sure that they knew as soon as I knew, as soon as the team found out then after that I was fortunately or unfortunately I had a media session that I was planning on not answering that question unless I was asked. I was asked that question and I just shot him straight. Scott (Berchtold) didn’t know about it until I came out of the meeting, Russ and Doug and myself, we knew about it prior to that meeting. Then I had to get with the players because I really showed up two minutes late to the meeting because I was still talking to Thaddeus and I wanted to talk to Jeff. Whether it’s right, wrong or different, I’m trying to give you guys a time frame of the process of everything we’ve done.’