BUFFALO (WGR 550) -- The Nathan Peterman era in Buffalo is over. The Bills released their 2017 fifth-round draft pick on Monday night, heading into the bye week. This comes on the heels of a very impressive performance by Matt Barkley against the Jets. Barkley was the second street free agent to start over Peterman, the Bills' choice to start the season. Over and over, Peterman was given opportunities to put together a game like Barkley did. Over and over, he fell well short.
Looking back on Peterman's time in Buffalo, none of it is really his fault. He never should have been put in the spots he was put into. That is on the Bills, not him. If he goes to some random team like the Cowboys or Seahawks, he most likely wouldn't have played and isn't a national punchline.
The Bills must have seen something from Peterman. Whether he had opportunities because he was great in practice, great in preseason, mature, or faith-driven, it never translated to success in games that mattered.
Strike One. Peterman proves he wasn't ready as a rookie.
Sean McDermott did what? The Bills were benching Tyrod Taylor for a fifth-round rookie in the middle of a legit playoff race. I had accepted what Tyrod was, and was OK with that. Turning to a 5th round rookie in that spot seemed insane. That's not a move a 5-4 team makes, that's something a 1-8 team does.
Nobody could have predicted how epically awful Peterman's first NFL start would go. The game at the soccer field in Los Angeles will forever be known as the five-interception game. Peterman panicked, rushed passes, and showed a lack of arm strength in a historically bad showing versus the Chargers. He didn't make it to the second half, a trend that would continue with him.
A game that is often forgotten is the snow game. Peterman started the game and did all he could. All anyone could. He led a drive late in the first half that resulted in a Kelvin Benjamin touchdown. However, the biggest throw in the game was made by quarterback/gunner/wide receiver Joe Webb in overtime.
Strike Two. Despite the Chargers game and despite a three-game losing streak in the middle of the season, the Bills persevered and had a storybook ending to the regular season to make the playoffs. Fittingly, the season ended on a Peterman interception. Yes, the Jaguars defense was great. Yes, Tyrod Taylor and the Bills offense did nothing all day.
Peterman entered that game with 1:16 remaining, at midfield, down a touchdown. The guy who was going to try and save the season was the five-interception guy. It was a chance for Peterman to make everyone forget the Chargers game ever happened. A chance to change his legacy. Sure enough, four plays in, Peterman threw his trademarked out route interception. Season over.
Strike Three. Peterman proves he can't be the bridge for the rookie. Despite signing AJ McCarron and drafting a quarterback higher than the team ever has, Peterman managed to beat them both out to be named the Bills starting quarterback. An offense that instilled little confidence now instilled even less.
The Ravens game in Week 1: zero first downs in the first half. The Bills were stuck. Maybe they didn't realize it yet, but they had traded away two veteran quarterbacks that they could have turned to, but once again didn't anticipate Peterman being as bad as he was. The rookie was the only alternative. Peterman sat there on the bench, one injury away from having to play again.
Strike Four. Peterman proves he can't be the backup. You just want a backup who won't lose you the game. Week 6: Credit to Peterman, he led the Bills down the field and took the lead with a nice touchdown throw to Zay Jones. I hadn't seen Josh Allen have that nice a drive all game before he exited due to injury.
Then, there it was again. The trademarked out route pick. Again. Again it cost the Bills a game.
Strike Five. Peterman proves any street free agent is a better option.
The Bills finally got it. They needed another quarterback. Derek Anderson was the guy. Fine. Almost anyone at that point would have sufficed. Peterman was now two injuries away from playing. Those two injuries happened. The guy with a five-interception game, the guy who couldn't save your season in Jacksonville, the guy with a zero-first-down game, the guy who lost the game in Houston, he was going to get one final shot.
Just when I thought nothing could surprise me with this guy, he ran on a hail mary. Either he just flat-out wasn't thinking, something that's seemed to happen with him in the past, or he didn't want to throw an interception. Already a joke nationally for throwing picks, maybe Peterman didn't want another graphic on ESPN showing four interceptions.
Enter Matt Barkley. Street free agent number two. His win over the Jets (15 for 23, 238 yards, 2 touchdowns) was the final nail in the coffin for Peterman's roster spot.
Now that Peterman's time in Buffalo appears over, it'd be nice to see another team pick him up and give him the proper time and tools to develop. He seems like a nice guy. It can't be easy going through what he has in the last 12 months. His being such a good guy may have been what got him so many chances in the first place.