ORCHARD PARK, N. Y. — After only one practice with Kyle Orton in place of EJ Manuel as the starting quarterback, rookie wide receiver Sammy Watkins recognized a difference in the offense’s efficiency.

“We just had a different approach to practice,” Watkins said Wednesday after a workout where Orton was the first-stringer and EJ Manuel was his backup.

“(Orton) demands what he wants out of us. He’s more of a veteran guy. The way he talked, the way he handles business, the way he looks at plays and breaks down defenses, it’s kind of different than EJ. He reads it quicker, the ball is coming out faster. That’s just some things that we have to adjust to.”

The Bills are hoping Orton can light a spark for an offense that has barely flickered the past two weeks in losses to San Diego and Houston. Manuel, Buffalo’s first-round pick in 2013, struggled in each game and coach Doug Marrone made the decision to give the reins to Orton with the Bills at 2-2 and tied for first in the mediocre AFC East as they head to Detroit.

“We want to make sure we’re giving our team the best opportunity to win, and at the end of the day that’s what my responsibility is, to make sure we put this team in position to win,” Marrone said. “I did, what I thought, from watching what I’ve seen, in my heart and my mind, the best thing for our team to win. That’s how the decision was made for me.”

Several Bills admitted that they were caught off guard by the surprising move, given that it happened so quickly. After all, the Bills were 2-0 before losing their last two.

“I didn’t really see it coming,” running back C.J. Spiller said. “Things like that happen. You have to respect the call that they made, but it definitely was a surprise. We’re a 2-2 team, there’s a lot of football to be played. A lot of (fans and media) around here are panicking, which is crazy. We just have some things to correct and be more efficient on offense.”

Fellow running back Fred Jackson added, “Changes are made, we have to be able to adjust to them and do what we can to make the process work. The coach felt we needed to make a change at quarterback, so it’s on us to make that work and do what we can to make it an easier transition for Kyle.”

Orton joined the Bills at the end of the preseason and has not had a single snap of action in a game setting since December when he started for Dallas in the season finale against Philadelphia, a game that Dallas had to win to earn a playoff berth. He threw for 358 yards, but the Cowboys lost 24-22.

Still, he doesn’t believe the lack of time with his new teammates, or the playbook, will matter come Sunday.

“I’ve been working hard the last four weeks,” he said. “I got in a lot of throws with the guys, so I don’t think time is too big of an issue. I think we’ve got the full gamut of plays in and I feel comfortable. I’ve felt comfortable for the last two or three weeks. The coaches have done a good job. I feel comfortable with everything in the playbook.”

By no means does making the change guarantee success. Orton is 35-35 as a starter, but he has made only the one start in the past two years and is 6-20 in his last 26 starts dating to 2009. But right now, Orton is Marrone’s choice, and the Bills have to make it work, and it won’t be easy against a Detroit defense that ranks No. 1 in the league in fewest yards allowed and fourth in points allowed.

“We’ve got a great challenge and we’re looking forward to step up and beat a good team on the road,” Orton said. “They’ve done a great job of winning first down. You see a lot of teams in second-and-11, second-and-12 and now you’re letting their four guys pass rush two times in a row.

“So we’re going to have to commit to the game plan, commit to the run, run the ball effectively early and find ourselves hopefully in a lot of second-and-3s, second-and-4s and then we have the whole playbook to play with.”

NOTES: DT Kyle Williams (knee) sat out practice Wednesday, and while coach Doug Marrone wouldn’t give a timetable on when Williams might return, all indications are that he won’t play this week. … Also sitting out were LB Nigel Bradham (knee), special teamer Marcus Easley (knee) and G Chris Williams (back).