The Buffalo Bills are hoping rest will cure what ails their rookie quarterback.
A second opinion from Dr. James Andrews confirmed that Josh Allen will not require surgery to repair his sprained elbow, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported, via a source informed of the situation. The expectation is that the draft's No. 7 overall pick will miss at least two or three games and then adopt a week-to-week approach from there, the source added.
The damage is to Allen's ulnar collateral ligament, an injury that often necessitates Tommy John surgery for professional baseball pitchers. Allen's tear is not a full one, however, and there is no sense that he will need to go under the knife, confirming Mike Garafolo's Tuesday morning report.
Bills coach Sean McDermott has acknowledged that Allen's status is week-to-week at this point. The team's hope, per Garafolo, is that Allen can be back on the field within a few weeks of rest and rehab.
In the meantime, McDermott's options are grim.
After Buffalo's swarming defense came through with a stellar goal-line stand last week, backup quarterback Nathan Peterman tossed a pick-six that essentially handed the victory to the Texans late in the fourth quarter.
Of the 15 drives Peterman has led this season, 10 have resulted in a punt or turnover. Although it's a small sample size, his career interception rate of 11.4 percent ranks as the highest by any player since at least 1975, according to NFL Research.
The alternative to Peterman is less than appetizing. Veteran clipboard-holder Derek Anderson, who spent six years in Carolina with McDermott, was signed just a week ago to function as an experienced sounding board for Allen. Would a crash course in Brian Daboll's offense enable Anderson to challenge Peterman for the opportunity to stand in until Allen is ready to reclaim his job?