Josh Allen Makes NFL Debut, Replaces Nathan Peterman vs. Ravens

The Buffalo Bills have made a change at quarterback, as Josh Allen replaced Nathan Peterman against the Baltimore Ravens after a disastrous start against the Baltimore Ravens.  

Allen entered with the Bills down 40-0 after Peterman was ineffective throughout. The starter completed five of 18 passes for 24 yards and two interceptions before being replaced.

After trading Tyrod Taylor to the Cleveland Browns in March, the Bills made Allen the No. 7 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft. 

Following minicamp in June, Bills head coach Sean McDermott told reporters there were different ways to develop Allen:

"There's a lot of different ways to do it. It's about bringing him along the right way. You go back and look at all the failed ways. 'They waited' [or] 'They didn't wait.' So, it's all about where he is in his development. We're not going to put him out there unless we feel like he's ready, and that's the important part of this, that we develop a nice foundation of strong fundamentals and football knowledge so that he can go out there and execute. Doesn't mean he's not going to have growing pains—he will."

When McDermott announced Peterman as his quarterback heading into Week 1, the decision was based on merit. 

"I thought (Peterman's) total body of work all the way back from the spring through the summer and fall camp to this point, he has certainly earned the right," McDermott told reporters. "It's always a tough decision. And that's a good thing, because those guys were competing at a high level."

The Bills also had AJ McCarron as part of the trio competing for the starting job. He was traded to the Oakland Raiders on Sept. 1, leaving Peterman and Allen as the top two quarterbacks. 

Allen was always going to be Buffalo's long-term solution at quarterback. The only question was how long McDermott would wait to put the 22-year-old in games. 

Now is the time for Allen to showcase the talent that made the Bills coaching staff so enamored with him.