ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills Coach Sean McDermott didn’t want to be misunderstood on Friday when given a second opportunity to back Tyrod Taylor as the team’s starter.

“I have all the confidence in the world in Tyrod,” McDermott said. “Tyrod’s going to start for us this week, and I look forward to him getting back on track.”

McDermott was put in a position to voice his support for Taylor after providing a noncommittal answer regarding the quarterback’s status immediately following a 20-16 preseason loss Thursday night to the Philadelphia Eagles.

“We’re always going to evaluate everything, and that goes for everything, including the quarterback position,” McDermott said Thursday when asked if he would consider a change in quarterbacks after Taylor and the starting offense sputtered while playing most of the first half.

Whatever doubts were raised by his initial response, McDermott was quick to clarify them on Friday, saying: “By no means was that meant to come across that way.”

Having Taylor’s back doesn’t mean the first-year coach is happy with how his starting offense has played through its first two preseason appearances.

“I want us to get into a rhythm offensively,” he said. “We continue to evolve as an offense. That’s just the second game, keeping the big-picture perspective in mind. But we’ve got to do some things to get the offense on track, there’s no doubt about it.”

The Bills’ starting offense has combined for 165 yards, nine first downs and two field goals over nine drives in the two games, including a 17-10 loss to Minnesota last week.

Accuracy has been an issue for Taylor, who went 8 of 18 for 53 yards and two interceptions in six series against Philadelphia. He was sacked three times.

Meanwhile, rookie fifth-round draft pick Nathan Peterman has jumped ahead of veteran backup T.J. Yates into the No. 2 spot on the depth chart.

BEARS: Running back Jordan Howard was one of 11 players who did not travel with the team to Arizona for Saturday night’s preseason game against the Cardinals.

Howard suffered a corneal abrasion during a walk-through Friday, according to a team spokesperson. While the Bears figure it to be a minor injury, it’s enough to keep their top running back out of action for their second exhibition game.

Howard finished second in the NFL in rushing as a rookie last season, piling up 1,313 yards and averaging 5.2 yards per carry.

• Chicago signed veteran free-agent linebacker Kelvin Sheppard and waived rookie linebacker Hendrick Ekpe.

Sheppard is entering his seventh season in the NFL. He made 11 starts and had 50 tackles for the New York Giants in 2016, a year after he had 105 tackles as a starter for Miami.

RAVENS: Baltimore signed center Jeremy Zuttah, who returns to the team that traded him to San Francisco in March.

Zuttah started every game last year and made the Pro Bowl as an alternate. He was dealt to the 49ers so Baltimore could save salary-cap space and move up 12 spots in the sixth round of the draft.

Zuttah was released by San Francisco last week, and the Ravens signed him to join a depleted offensive line in dire need of a veteran presence in the middle.

A GUN CHARGE against free-agent linebacker Khaseem Greene was dropped because the man who said he gave him a weapon admitted he lied, the player’s attorney said.

The Kansas City Chiefs released Greene the day charges against him were first reported in May. He last played a game in 2014 for the Chicago Bears after being drafted in 2013.