ALLEN ERA HAS BEGUN IN BUFFALO
Rookie QB anointed starter for the Bills following Peterman’s epic flop in opener
The Buffalo Bills had no other choice but to announce Wednesday that rookie Josh Allen is the NFL team’s new starting quarterback.
Not unless they intended to confiscate thousands of torches and pitchforks at New Era Field’s entrance gates before Sunday’s home opener against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Allen replaces Nathan Peterman, who in his third career start last Sunday in Baltimore was epically awful — perhaps even worse than in his infamous pro starting debut 10 months ago against the Chargers in Los Angeles, when he threw five interceptions before getting yanked at halftime.
Allen thus becomes the second member of the celebrated 2018 QB draft class to be named starter, after Sam Darnold of the New York Jets, and before still-interning No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield of the still Tyrod Taylor-entrusting Cleveland Browns.
Against the Ravens a few days ago, Buffalo’s Peterman lasted only until a few minutes into the third quarter before getting yanked. By then, Baltimore was up 40-0 in the driving rain and Peterman was 0-for-5 on thirddown throws — the NFL’S only Week 1 QB who failed to complete such a pass.
Overall, Peterman threw for 24 yards on 10 drives. Right, just 2.4 yards per drive.
If ever in the history of emergency NFL QB switches one required no explanation from the club, this is it: Buffalo turning to Allen from Peterman. So don’t get all faux-outraged that Bills head coach Sean Mcdermott refused whatsoever to get into the reasons why while confirming the switch at his midday Wednesday news conference.
“It’s the right move at the right time,” Mcdermott said over and over, about an hour after news of Allen’s promotion leaked out via ESPN.
“I’m not going to get into how permanent it is, guys. Again, you’ve got to understand where I’m coming from. It’s the right move for our football team and I’m not going any further than that. It’s the right move for our team. I’ve got confidence in Josh, I’ve got confidence in this football team. And it’s the right move for our team.”
We get it.
But what more did you want Mcdermott to say? To elaborate would be to insult any brain functioning human’s intelligence, among those who watched Sunday’s Ravens-bills game either in person or on TV.
Look, although I lobbied hard a few weeks ago for the Bills to name Allen as starter for 2018, I think I get what the team’s brain trust thought they saw in Peterman.
Yes, the second-year pro did appear to be improved in spring and summer practices and also in pre-season game action. Apparently Peterman tidied up his throwing mechanics over the winter, and he seemed to fire off snappier throws in some situations.
And unless asked to throw deep or into a stiff breeze, or long lateral throws requiring zip, the 24-year-old completed passes overall at least as well as the cannon-armed, 21-year-old Allen — the No. 7 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft — or fifth-year A.J. Mccarron, since traded to Oakland.
But after two career starts (I discount his performance in that blizzard late last season vs. Indianapolis), the take-away now has to be that Peterman is incapable of moving an NFL team without routinely making tragic, panicky errors in succession, at least once real bullets fly in earnest. That’s (a) when playing against first-string defenders who have game-planned specifically to stop him, and (b) when the threat of being clobbered is real. Both only happen in regular-season games.
In two such career situations, absent a foot of snow, Peterman has proved little better than you or me: a combined 11 of 32 (34 per cent) for just 90 yards, zero TDS and seven interceptions.
Peterman’s done as a starter. At least in Buffalo. There will be no three strikes here. He’s got to be out for good, barring a shortterm injury to Allen.
Presumably, the reason Mcdermott, GM Brandon Beane and their most trustworthy advisers chose Peterman over Allen last week is they concluded that Peterman gave the Bills the best chance to win that game, against those Ravens, in that setting. They were ingloriously wrong. And so, the Josh Allen era in Buffalo begins.
Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers said he suffered a sprain to his left knee on Sunday night vs. Chicago, which has been “pretty sore the last three days.”
He didn’t practise on Wednesday.
Head coach Mike Mccarthy termed the injury “day to day” and couldn’t, or at least wouldn’t, say whether Rodgers will practice on Thursday or Friday, let alone play Sunday vs. NFC North rival Minnesota.
Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer, though, offered this assessment of Rodgers’ injury, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero: “He walks on water, so I’m sure he’s going to play.”