I'll be the first one to admit it: being a Buffalo Bills fan is hard. As a fan base, we have had our fair shares of very small ups and very large downs. The Bills are like Florida for retirees, it's where you want to go when you are trying to settle down and end your career.
However, for one specific quarterback, Buffalo is where his career started momentarily, and certainly will die forever.
Nate Peterman was taken in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills. Although not decisively picked to be the next big franchise player for the team, there were high hopes that he would develop under Tyrod Taylor's wing and be ready to play if given the opportunity. Peterman has been given opportunities to perform for the Bills and he has come up empty handed every single time. He in fact is on pace to be the worst quarterback ever to play professional football.
It's guys like him that have turned the Bills into the laughing stock of the NFL. Let me take you back to last years football season to remind you of the woes that have followed the infamous player. During week 10 of the 2017 season, the Bills are down 47-3 against the New Orleans Saints with 5 minutes to play. Enter Nate Peterman. Peterman successfully leads a scoring drive and throws his first career touchdown pass.
This sends Buffalo into a frenzy of sorts. We feel like we've got our guy at the QB position and he actually ends up winning the starting job for the next game. All is good right? Oh, far from it. Peterman's first game as a starter was utter turmoil. He threw five interceptions in the first half. Let me just repeat that. Five interceptions, in the first half of a football game. Five interceptions alone in a game is rarely heard of. But throwing all of them in only two quarters of play, well, is simply unfathomable. Peterman lost the starting position afterwards and would not retain it until the postseason, where it really mattered.
This would turn out to be the Nate Peterman that Bills fans have longed to never see wear a Bills uniform again. After finishing the 2017 season with a playoff berth, the first appearance in 17 years for the franchise, all seemed to be going well for the team. As the game transpired, the Bills were looking to lead a game-winning drive with less than two minutes left in the game. After what appeared to be an illegal hit on starting QB Taylor, Peterman was thrown into the game. After completing a first down on his first throwing attempt, many held their breath thinking Peterman might turn it around for us. And then, in only Nate Peterman fashion, he threw a week pass intended for Robert Woods that was intercepted, ending the game and the Bills playoff run.
Now, you may be wondering why it is I am talking about this washed out quarterback who can't throw for his life. Last week, the Bills starting QB, Josh Allen, was injured in their matchup against the Texans. To the dismay of many Bills fans, Peterman entered the game again. With the team tied and less than two minutes on the clock, all he had to do was conserve the play and get them in range for a game winning field goal.
Instead, on his 2nd passing attempt, "Pickerman," as he has garnered the nickname, throw an interception that would be returned for a touchdown. Classic. However, it gets even better. Peterman is now forced to lead another drive in which the Bills must score a touchdown if they want to extend the game into overtime. As you can imagine though, Peterman does what he does best. On his first passing attempt of this new drive he threw another interception, ending the game and hopefully ending his career as a Buffalo Bill.
I hope I never see this guy throw another pass for our team.