Bills scramble after Manuel injures knee

Buffalo Bills rookie quarterback E.J. Manuel will miss “a few weeks” with a sprained ligament in his right knee.

The injury will not require surgery, Bills coach Doug Marrone said Friday, a day after a 37-24 loss in Cleveland.

Manuel was injured in the third quarter Thursday night, when he was hit by Browns safety Tashaun Gipson at the end of a 14-yard run. Jeff Tuel, another rookie, replaced Manuel but was ineffective, completing 8 of 20 passes for 80 yards.

Marrone said the Bills will look into acquiring another quarterback and did not rule out the possibility of that player starting Buffalo’s next game Oct. 13 at Cincinnati.

BROWNS’ HOYER DONE Brian Hoyer’s story, seemingly pulled from a Disney movie script, took a cruel turn. The Cleveland quarterback’s season is over.

A lifelong Browns fan living out his boyhood dream by starting for his hometown team, Hoyer tore a knee ligament while running for a first down Thursday night against Buffalo and will miss the remainder of this season.

It’s a devastating blow for Hoyer, who had waited five years — three as Tom Brady’s backup in New England — to become an NFL starter and led the Browns to wins over Minnesota and Cincinnati while replacing an injured Brandon Weeden.

“This is disappointing,” Browns coach Rob Chudzinski said Friday. “It’s an unfortunate thing.”

MCFADDEN LIKELY OUT SUNDAY Darren McFadden missed a third straight day of practice because of a hamstring injury, making it all but certain the Oakland Raiders will be without their top running back for Sunday night’s game against San Diego.

McFadden has been sidelined since getting hurt early in the first half of Oakland’s 24-14 loss to the Washington Redskins on Sept. 29.

He is listed as doubtful on the team’s injury report.