Antonio Allen to Start at Cornerback

For the Week One matchup against the Oakland Raiders, Antonio Allen has been told that he will start at cornerback. If you recall, Allen made his debut at the position just a few weeks ago against the Cincinnati Bengals, in a preseason game. Allen has never played the position before, and he has missed some time due to a concussion.

Of course, I'm hoping for the best. I'm hoping that Allen can step up and shut down whatever shlub the Raiders trot out. I'm hoping Derek Carr shows his rookie status and throws up prayers for Allen to come down with. As far as first opponents go, Allen is getting off relatively easy. He's a great athlete, so let's hope he can prevail against whatever challenges Oakland throws at him.

However, I would be lying if I didn't say this didn't make me incredibly nervous. As I said, Allen just switched to this position and has missed significant practice time with a concussion. The odds are not in his favor. I think if you feel extremely confident that this situation will turn out okay, you're probably looking at it through green-tinted sunglasses. Let's hope that Rex Ryan knows what he's doing and can scheme in such a way as to minimize any potential damage. And more importantly, let's hope that Dee Milliner gets healthy, fast, so he can return as a starting cornerback.