Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott announced Wednesday that rookie quarterback Nathan Peterman will start Week 11 against the Los Angeles Chargers in place of Tyrod Taylor.

"We are in the playoff hunt and we are always focused on becoming the best team possible. We were made for better than 5-4," McDermott added.

Taylor got the Bills off to a 5-2 start and into the thick of the AFC playoff race before they dropped the last two games to the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints by a combined score of 81-31.

Peterman, the Bills' fifth-round pick out of Pittsburgh in the 2017 draft, got his first taste of regular-season action when he replaced a struggling Taylor in the 47-10 Week 10 home loss to the Saints. He went 7-of-10 and threw his first career touchdown - the Bills' only six-point score of the game.

"I've been impressed with the maturity from Nathan Peterman. I'm comfortable making a calculated risk to try and get us where we need to go," said McDermott.

Taylor, in his third year with the Bills and seventh in the NFL, heads to the bench with a 64.2 percent completion rating on 254 passes for 1,684 yards, 10 touchdowns, and three interceptions this season. He added 237 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 53 attempts.

He's due $10 million in base salary for 2018 with a $6-million roster bonus. He can also be cut, creating $8.64 million in dead cap, according to Spotrac.

Joe Webb is listed as the third quarterback on the Bills' depth chart.