If there’s one constant in life, it’s that adversity will rear its ugly head at some point. How one responds to those situations is the measure of that particular person. For Nathan Peterman, his first-ever NFL regular season start certainly falls into the adversity category.
Ask anyone who follows the league with some semblance of regularity what they think of when they hear his name, and they’ll undoubtedly bring it up. They’ll cite the Buffalo Bills‘ Week 11 clash with the Los Angeles Chargers. For it was then, at StubHub Center in Carson, CA, that Peterman threw almost as many interceptions (5) as completed passes (6) in the first half before Tyrod Taylor replaced him in the second.
It’s a performance that put him in rare company and not in a good way. Peterman became just the 10th quarterback in NFL history to throw five or more interceptions in a game while completing six or fewer passes. And only three quarterbacks who made at least 10 attempts during a game in 2017 had a lower passer rating than his 17.9 mark.
Kneejerk reactions are simply facts of life in today’s hot take heavy sports media landscape. And you couldn’t fault people for coming to the conclusion that Peterman isn’t a starting caliber NFL quarterback after that game. Yet three weeks later, in an epic lake effect blizzard which neutered the passing game for most of the day, he experienced an oft-overlooked bounceback moment. The Pittsburgh product made two picture-perfect passes to Kelvin Benjamin late in the second quarter, the latter of which resulted in a touchdown that gave Buffalo a 7-0 lead over the Indianapolis Colts.
Nathan Peterman an Example of Resiliency According to Buffalo Bills General Manager Brandon Beane
LeSean McCoy‘s touchdown scamper in overtime to seal the deal against Indy largely overshadows Peterman’s contribution. Add in the fact that he later left that game due to a concussion and it’s easy to see how it gets lost in the overall narrative. But the fact remains. If that game ended in a tie, the playoff drought would still be a reality. And what Peterman accomplished in the first half just a few weeks removed from as forgettable an opening 30 minutes as you’re going to see speaks to qualities necessary to overcome adversity.
It’s a reason that Bills general manager Brandon Beane remains highly sold on Peterman’s potential.
“I think he’s a very confident man and he’s resilient,” Beane told Sal Maiorana of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. “You saw a guy who got knocked down hard. Not all on him, either. But the greatest thing about what Nathan did was he never pointed a finger and that says a lot because it’s hard.”
Is Peterman the Front-Runner to Start?
With training camp at St. John Fisher College in the Rochester area looming, the Bills’ quarterback situation remains up in the air. It’s certainly the beginning of a new era regardless of who wins the starting job now that Taylor‘s with the Cleveland Browns. Based on what’s transpired in the off-season so far, Peterman may have the upper hand over Josh Allen and A.J. McCarron.
The general consensus from most observers is that Peterman impressed the most during OTAs and minicamp. He took the majority of first-team reps and appeared to make the most of them. In an ESPN piece detailing the “surprise off-season standouts” for all 32 teams, Bills beat writer Mike Rodak tabbed Peterman. He emphasized that during one of the minicamp practices, Peterman completed 10 of 13 passes including a touchdown to close out the day.
Confidence, Resiliency, and Intelligence
Bills head coach Sean McDermott decided a change to his coaching staff was necessary at the end of last season. Gone is Rick Dennison who lasted just one season as offensive coordinator with Brian Daboll replacing him. Daboll’s last gig was in the same capacity on Alabama’s national championship team under Nick Saban. If Beane’s sentiment is any indication, Peterman is adapting to the changes well.
“He’s super smart,” Beane said via Maiorana. “He’s not going to tell you how good he is or how smart he is. He’s just Steady Eddie every day and you love how he approaches the game. I know Sean’s been there more than me but even I’ve stopped in there a couple times when Daboll’s had those guys in (the meeting room) and they’re writing stuff on the board. He’s playing Jeopardy with them. He’s just trying to see what they know and Nathan’s really, really smart.”
The often arduous process that is preparing for the upcoming NFL season commences this week. For the Bills, as has been the case too often since the venerable Jim Kelly retired, uncertainty abounds with respect to their quarterback situation. Based on off-season happenings thus far, Peterman might have the inside track to the starting job at present. But whether or not that remains the case when the Bills face the Baltimore Ravens in Week One is something that will play itself out over the next month.
