First-team reps a boon for Bills QB Allen

Buffalo Bills rookie quarterback Josh Allen had a promising first preseason game on Thursday after taking reps with the first-team unit in practice.

Allen, the first-round pick (No. 7 overall) from Wyoming, began taking snaps with the starters a week before the Bills' 28-23 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Thursday. He entered training camp as the third-string quarterback

He did not start, playing with the third-team unit instead, but played the entire second half and completed 9 of 19 attempts for 116 yards and a touchdown without an interception

Buffalo coach Sean McDermott has confirmed that Allen and the team's other two quarterbacks -- AJ McCarron and Nathan Peterman -- will rotate regularly with the first-team unit for the foreseeable future.

"I'm here to be the best quarterback I can be," Allen told the NFL Network. "I'm not going to worry about anybody else. I'm going to take things from Nate and AJ and learn."

Allen led the third-team offense on five possessions against Carolina, beginning with a three-and-out and ending with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Ray-Ray McCloud.

Allen's teammates mentioned to reporters Friday that they were impressed by his demeanor in the huddle.

When asked about Allen's reaction after failing to connect with him on a deep pass to start the second half, Bills receiver Robert Foster said, "He didn't really say nothing. He called another play."

Buffalo's fans are excited about Allen if television ratings are any indication. Thursday's game had an overall 21.9 rating in Buffalo, reportedly the best number of the summer by more than 10 points.

After Allen entered the game at 8:45 p.m., the rating spiked to 25.0 during his first real-time hour.