ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Bills rookie quarterback EJ Manuel wont start in Buffalos season finale at New England because of a small tear in a left knee ligament that will not require surgery. Coach Doug Marrone revealed the nature of Manuels injury for the first time after practice Friday. Backup Thad Lewis will start Sunday. "The decision process was injury-related, meaning that he was not able to do the things at 100 per cent that, in my opinion, we need to do to win the game," Marrone said. "So at the end of the day, I made the decision to put him out there for no other reason because I thought Thad would give us the best chance to win this game with EJs injury not progressing." Marrone said Manuel has a "small tear" in his lateral collateral ligament, which the first-round draft pick hurt in a 27-20 win at Jacksonville on Dec. 15. The tear is regarded as a minor knee injury. Lewis will start after taking all team snaps in practice Friday. Manuel could still be active and is listed as questionable. The Bills (6-9) have already been eliminated from playoff contention but have a chance to win three straight for the first time since opening the 2011 season 3-0. The Patriots (11-4) have already clinched the AFC East and can secure a first-round bye. The injury is the latest setback for Manuel, who is 4-6 this season. He missed four straight games after spraining his right knee in a 37-24 loss at Cleveland on Oct. 3. Manuel also missed the final two preseason games after hurting his left knee. Its a setback for Marrone as well, who a week earlier had said he was "110 per cent" confident Manuel would play against the Patriots. Marrone began backing off that comment Monday, when he declined to announce a starter. Manuel and Lewis split practice time Tuesday and Thursday, before Marrone determined the injury was limiting Manuels lateral mobility. Lewis is listed as probable because of an injury to his left, non-throwing shoulder, which he hurt in a 19-0 win against Miami last weekend. He has a 2-2 record and has thrown for three touchdowns and three interceptions since his promotion from the practice squad in early October. "I feel very fortunate. Im excited about the challenge," Lewis said. "Its just another opportunity to go out and make the best of it and help this team get a win." The Patriots will be playing Lewis for the first time, after facing Manuel in their season-opening 23-21 road win. "I know hes been playing good. I know he throws the ball down the field," Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib said. "They get a lot of explosive plays when hes in the game, because hes not afraid to throw the ball down the field." Against Miami, Lewis completed a 57-yard pass up the left sideline to Robert Woods despite Buffalo being backed up inside its own 10. The Patriots are expected to play without safety Devin McCourty, who hasnt practiced since sustaining a concussion in a 41-7 win at Baltimore on Sunday. That opens the door for rookie Duron Harmon to start. The Patriots will face a Bills running game that ranks second in the NFL with 2,138 yards, led by C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson. "They do have a lot of weapons," Harmon said. "So we know were going to have our hands full." The Bills placed safety Aaron Williams on injured reserve and promoted receiver Cordell Roberson off the practice squad. Williams had already been ruled out because of a rib injury. Roberson provides the team with depth at receiver with starter Stevie Johnson missing his second straight game. Johnson has been excused after the death of his mother, whose funeral was held Friday in Northern California. ------ Cole Hamels Jersey . Everton Preview West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has been around the game long enough to not get too high when things are going well and not get too low when they arent. David Ross Cubs Jersey . McCutchen hit his first home run in over a month, doubled twice and scored two runs to help the Pirates beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 on Sunday and take three of four from the defending NL West champions. https://www.cheapcubs.com/1120t-james-no...y-cubs.html.com) - Kam Chancellor bobbed his head in celebration as he crossed the goal line on his game-clinching 90-yard interception return. David Bote Cubs Jersey .com) - Even-money favorite Liams Map proved a little too tough down the stretch and won Saturdays $100,000 Harlans Holiday Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Bill Buckner Cubs Jersey . The Maple Leafs may not have had a pick until the third round, but they have made the biggest move of the second day of the Draft, dealing defenceman Carl Gunnarsson and a fourth-round pick in the draft to the St.Leon Draisaitl has made a big jump into the top-five in the latest edition of Craig Buttons TSN.ca NHL Draft rankings. The Prince Albert Raiders left winger has moved seven places up to fourth-spot in the March rankings. The German-born Draisaitl has 35 goals and 62 assists in 60 games this season for the Raiders who currently sit third in the Eastern Conferences East Division. The top three in the rankings have remained static with Kootenay centre Sam Reinhart, defenceman Aaron Ekblad of Barrie and Kingston centre Sam Bennett maintaining their January places. Oshawa left winger Michael Dal Colle, down from fourth, rounds out the top-five. While Draisaitl is the only new entry to the top-10 (at the expense of Sodertalje right winger David Pastrnak, who moves from #10 to #11), there is movement elsewhere. Jaren McCann, a centre for Sault Ste. Marie, drops two spots into eighth. Windsor Spitfires Josh Ho-Sang is the biggest mover in the March edition of Craig Buttons TSN.ca NHL Draft rankings. The Windsor Spitfires forward jumped 13 spaces to land at #20. Ho-Sang has 31 ggoals and 53 assists in 64 games.ddddddddddddAlso making big strides in the top-30 is Moose Jaw centreman Brayden Point, who jumped six places to land at #24. The player to lose the most ground in the March rankings is winger Anton Karlsson. Karlsson, who plies his trade for Frolundas junior side, slides down seven spots to land at #29. Marchs highest new entry comes in at #31 and it belongs to Swedish defenceman Marcus Pettersson (Skelleftea). Pettersson has represented Sweden at the under-16, under-17 and under-18 levels. Click here at (http://www.tsn.ca/craigslist) for the full Top 90 prospect list. TSN Scout Craig Button is part of TSN and TSN.cas expanded DraftCentre coverage. Craig started in the NHL as a scout with the Minnesota North Stars and stayed with the organization through the move to Dallas. He later became Director of Player Personnel, helping lead the Stars to a Stanley Cup in 1999. From 2000 to 2003, Craig served as Vice President and General Manager of the Calgary Flames and later joined the Toronto Maple Leafs as a scout. ' ' '