Ex-Bills QB Nathan Peterman throws game-ending interception to seal Buffalo's AFC title

For the love of Pete! Nathan Peterman helped the Buffalo Bills clinch an AFC East division title.

Peterman, the much-maligned former fifth-round pick by Buffalo who is now the backup quarterback in Chicago, played in garbage time in the Bills' 35-13 victory over the Bears to capture the AFC East championship. He completed his first two passes before an incompletion and a spike to stop the clock. Then Peterman heaved a Hail Mary that was picked off by safety Jaquan Johnson at the goal line as time expired.

Peterman was selected by Buffalo with the No. 171 overall pick in 2017, Sean McDermott's first season as head coach. The Bills went 1-8 in games, including the postseason, that Peterman played in from 2017 to 2018. He went 1-3 as a starter with three touchdowns and 12 interceptions in the regular season and his tenure included a couple of nightmarish performances.

Peterman led a scoring drive on the first possession of his NFL debut in Week 10 and was named the starter for Week 11 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Then things went sideways.

Peterman threw five interceptions in the first half of a 54-24 blowout loss to the Chargers on Nov. 19, 2017. Peterman tied the NFL record for most interceptions in a quarterback's debut. His first interception was a pick six and he had four picks in his first nine passes.

The Bills finished 9-7 that season to snap a 17-year playoff drought, the longest in professional sports at the time. Peterman was forced into the Wild Card round against the Jacksonville Jaguars after starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor was knocked out with 1:27 remaining and the Bills down 10-3. Peterman was intercepted on his third pass by Jalen Ramsey to end the Bills' season.

Peterson was named the starter over rookie Josh Allen, who Buffalo nabbed with the No. 7 overall pick, for the opener against Baltimore in 2018. He completed 5 of 18 passes for 24 yards with two interceptions − a 0.0 QB rating − before he was benched for Allen as the Bills were obliterated 47-3 by the Ravens. Allen started the next week.

Allen missed four games with an elbow injury in 2018. Derek Anderson started the first two and Peterman started the next one. It didn't go well. Peterman threw three picks in a 41-9 loss to the Chicago Bears.

He was benched in favor of Matt Barkley the following week and was released on Nov. 12, 2018.

Peterson landed on the then-Oakland Raiders' practice squad before the 2018 season ended and spent 2019 on injured reserve. He made two appearance with the Raiders spanning 2020 and 2021. Peterson signed to the Bears' practice squad in 2022 and became Fields' backup when Trevor Siemian was placed in injured reserve earlier this month.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Nathan Peterman throws interception to seal Buffalo Bills' AFC title