Hold your horses Bills fans. Nathan Peterman has shown flashes of quality throws and pocket presence that makes him look like an NFL quarterback. But let’s not get too high on the fifth-rounder. After all, there are always two sides to every story.
The former Pitt Panther was deemed as this year’s potential Dak Prescott-esque player in the 2017 draft by many scouting experts. So, of course, when the Bills ultimately chose him in round five of the draft there was a lot of buzz about his potential. If you look into the basic statistics through the first two games, you’ll see he’s tossed for 279 yards with a touchdown and hasn’t thrown an interception yet. These are promising numbers to see out of a young quarterback who’s had limited snaps through his first two games.
Pro Football Focus gave Peterman a 76.9 performance grade in the game against Philadelphia on Thursday. His stat line reads as follows: 10/20, 167 yards, no touchdowns or interceptions. Aside from the 50% completion rating, those are pretty good numbers for a second string quarterback with limited reps.
But again, there are always two sides to every story.
According to PFF, there are two sides to Peterman’s game on the football field. There’s a struggling Peterman under pressure, and one who excels without.
This tweet below dictates the difference quite easily:
https://twitter.com/PFF/status/898911463108214784
The Bills Rookie has completed 22/29 pass attempts when not under pressure. Furthermore, When Peterman is given time in the pocket he’s been fairly accurate and productive. When Peterman has been under pressure, however, it’s a different story.
Through Peterman’s first two games of his NFL career, he has one completion through 16 pass attempts while under pressure, and he’s 8-for-20 when blitzed. By looking into these numbers, you can analyze how poised a quarterback can be, and how well he can play while under pressure. Obviously, these numbers suggest Peterman does not play well with opposing defences closing in. This means defensive coordinators will begin scheming against him, and one can assume this will entail a lot of QB pressures.
Granted, the kid is still young and this issue is something that Peterman can fix with more experience and repetitions. It’s not too often there’s a late-round quarterback that’s ready to start week one anyway. So for now, let’s pump the brakes on the “Peterman as the starter train” and give him time to develop.
Next: Buffalo Bills: Let’s Talk About That 2017 Offensive Line
If the team falls out of playoff positioning mid-season, perhaps that will be a chance for the rookie QB to debut for the Bills.