The rumors surrounding the Buffalo Bills playoff race are not getting much clearer.
After the team’s third preseason game — which was seen as a chance for rookie quarterback Josh Allen to lock down the starting role — there are even more questions with a porous offensive line left Allen battered and unable to make much of an impression at all. Allen was sacked five times in a little less than one half of action on Sunday, and the Democrat & Chronicle notes that the race for starting quarterback is looking quite complicated.
Columnist Sal Mairona noted that Allen failed to seize the starting job, though it wasn’t exactly his fault.
“Allen, the No. 7 overall draft pick, got his chance to play with the first-string unit and it seemed like it was essentially his audition to win the job. Unfortunately for him, he stood at the microphone ready to belt out his tune, but his band forgot how to play its instruments.”
Allen had shown flashes of phenomenal play in the preseason, making passes that neither Nathan Peterman nor A.J. McCarron could make. But he has also struggled with consistency and decision-making — both knocks that were the top of his draft resume. Allen was seen as a quarterback that needed some time to break in, and many believe that is the approach the Bills will take.
Peterman, infamous for throwing five interceptions in one half against the San Diego Chargers last season after starter Tyrod Taylor was benched. He has been the most accurate of the Bills quarterbacks in the preseason. Many believe he will be the one chosen as the placeholder to start the season until Allen is deemed ready to step into the job.
Nathan Peterman: 16-for-21, 200 yards, 1 TD against Bengals today. He’s 33-41, 3 TDs, 0 INTs for the preseason. C’mon, name him the starter already.
— Andrew Perloff (@andrewperloff) August 26, 2018
Hard to see McDermott not going with Nathan Peterman at this point. Has done everything he needed to do to win the job. #Bills
— Bradley Gelber (@BradleyGelber) August 26, 2018
Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott has not revealed much about who will be starting for the team to start the season, but has been full of praise for the development Peterman has shown.
Coach McDermott: “Nathan Peterman has shown consistency throughout the preseason. I’ve watched him develop and grow which is encouraging to see.” #CINvsBUF pic.twitter.com/Q0Rmu1REto
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) August 26, 2018
Whether Josh Allen is picked as the Week 1 starter for the Buffalo Bills or not, it’s expected the team will move him into that role at some point during the season. The team has a top-heavy schedule, going on the road for five of the first seven weeks of the season, a stretch in which the team faces some of the top defenses in the league. Should the Bills fall out of playoff contention early, many believe Allen will be tapped to start the back half of the season.
