Rookie Josh Allen to start for Bills vs. Chargers

The Buffalo Bills will start rookie Josh Allen at quarterback this Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers. This according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.

Allen played in the second half of last week’s opener against the Baltimore Ravens, after starter Nathan Peterman was benched.

It’s Allen, ready or not

UPDATE: Bills’ coach Sean McDermott confirmed the news in his Wednesday news conference, saying, “It’s the right move for our team,” though he refused to elaborate on how or why the coaching staff came to that decision (just a guess, but enjoying having one of 32 jobs as an NFL head coach likely played a role).

“I thought his command of the offense was there,” McDermott said of Allen’s stint last Sunday. “Got us in and out of the huddle…After the snap, executed fairly well at times and other times we needed to execute better. He moved well to put himself in position and generate some offense.”

The Bills, namely general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott, created a difficult situation for themselves. After trading Tyrod Taylor to Cleveland in the offseason and A.J. McCarron to the Raiders earlier this month, they either had to keep playing Peterman, let him continue taking hits and not moving the offense but letting Allen develop in the background with an eye on the big picture, or throw Allen into the fire.

It looks like they’re choosing the latter.

Allen was 6-for-15 for 40 yards plus 26 rushing yards (he was also sacked three times) against Baltimore, and led the team to its only points, a field goal late in the third quarter, in the 47-3 loss.

Starting Allen wasn’t a given

There may not be anyone who’s a bigger fan than Peterman than McDermott; even after Peterman’s dreadful performance against the Ravens – he was 5-for-18 for 24 yards, with two interceptions and three sacks, and the offense didn’t gain a single first down in the first half – McDermott still seemed willing to start the second-year quarterback going forward.

On Monday, McDermott said that after looking at the tape, everyone had to do their job better, whether it was the quarterback or coach, and that the Bills didn’t play well enough to win in all three phases of the game.

In fairness to Peterman, Buffalo’s offensive line isn’t great at the moment either.

But in three career starts, Peterman is a combined 16-for-42 (38.1 percent) for 147 yards with one touchdown and seven picks.

Before you head out, enjoy this gif of Allen awkwardly flossing. There’s no other reason it’s here other than it’s really awkward:

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