Bills to get long look at Josh Allen, starters in Week 2 of preseason

Teams do not usually have much incentive to play their starters for an extended period of time in a preseason game. The risks often outweigh the benefits, especially if the squad in question has won its division in four consecutive years. Some extra reps could help the Buffalo Bills, however, as they look to fix some of the many mistakes they made in last week's 33-6 beatdown by the Chicago Bears.

Quarterback Josh Allen and the Buffalo starters are set to play more than a full quarter in Saturday's preseason battle against the Pittsburgh Steelers, per Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. Bills head coach Sean McDermott was dissatisfied with his team's effort versus the Bears and is clearly demanding a much better showing this weekend.

Allen's bigger workload comes as somewhat of a surprise, but more snaps with the revamped offense could definitely serve as a collective benefit. He was 2-of-3 passing for 22 yards in the first preseason matchup, with a 15-yard pass to new receiver Curtis Samuel serving as the highlight of his afternoon.

Buffalo is in a weird sport. Because No. 17 is still under center, the team is still regarded as an AFC title contender. Though, the loss of several of their veterans, most notably star wide receiver Stefon Diggs, has many football fans wondering if a difficult transition period awaits the Bills this season.

Bills are making chemistry a priority

The offensive side of the football will be particularly intriguing, as there are no established No. 1 pass-catchers currently on the roster. McDermott and offensive coordinator Joe Brady are trusting Khalil Shakir (611 receiving yards last season), rookie Keon Coleman and second-year tight end Dalton Kincaid to stake a reasonable claim for that role. Samuel and fellow veteran Mack Hollins should also earn a decent target share.

Ideally, the question marks next to these players and team will gradually start to fade away after the additional playing time. The Bills starters will try to make a statement on Saturday night in Pittsburgh, starting at 7 p.m. ET.