By Nick Wojton / Billswire.usatoday.com
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott announced on Wednesday that recently-signed veteran quarterback Derek Anderson will take over the signal calling for the Bills on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.
Anderson will start over Nathan Peterman, who had another interception-filled outing in Week 6 against the Houston Texans, including a game-deciding, pick-six, leading to the 20-13 loss.
“I feel like this is the right decision for our football team,” McDermott said. “It’s only going to get better [with Anderson’s knowledge of the offense] as we move forward [this week].”
Rookie starting quarterback Josh Allen suffered an elbow strain in the loss, leading to Peterman being inserted into the lineup.
When discussing the decision, McDermott said he didn’t think a potential decision to start Peterman would have caused him to “lose the locker room,” however, he did admit he believes that the decision to start Anderson was the right one in terms of trying to win games.
Buffalo’s coach admitted that Anderson’s previous history playing with wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin while with the Carolina Panthers and having been coached for a season by offensive coordinator Brian Daboll in 2009 with the Cleveland Browns, made the decision to go to Anderson a little easier.
In wake of the decision to start Anderson, McDermott also said that we might not have seen the last of Allen. He’s still labeled as “week-to-week” by the coach, so when he’s healthy, he could return to his role as starting quarterback.