Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘You trade Sammy Watkins, Ronald Darby, Reggie Ragland, and Marcell Dareus, and then you bench your veteran starting quarterback when you’re 5-4 and actually sitting in a playoff position in the weak AFC. Hmmm. Is it really about winning in 2017, as well as the future?’

‘ “He said he has to do some assessing. Who’s assessing him?” Wilbon said. “Who’s asleep? Paging Bill Polian, can you come back and run this team? You kill locker rooms with (moves like this). You were in the wild card hunt and you brought in a kid you shouldn’t have brought in and we shouldn’t be teasing and ripping. We should be ripping the dopey coach.”‘

‘Coach Sean McDermott rolled the dice in the hope that Peterman could provide a spark to a sagging offense and, really, a sagging team that was coming off two horrific losses. The dice rolled right off the table and into a toilet, and ex-Bills coordinator Anthony Lynn, now the Chargers’ head coach, must have been texting back and forth with his old starting quarterback, Tyrod Taylor, laughing their butts off about the whole thing.’

‘Peterman wasn’t able to throw an interception on the Bills’ third possession because he didn’t attempt a pass.’

‘Peterman had no chance against the now 4-6 Chargers playing in front of 25,015 fans at StubHub Center, about 10,000 of which were rooting for the Bills. Arrowhead Stadium next week against a much better Chiefs team that will be dying to make amends for losing to the woeful Giants? That’s frightening to think about.’

‘Ryan is not alone in the national media as McDermott’s move has been widely panned. Locally, most Bills fans who actually pay attention to the team on a daily basis seem to approve of McDermott making this call.’

‘Five interceptions. That’s really all I need to say in defending this grade. Nathan Peterman looked utterly incapable of playing in the NFL, let alone be a starting quarterback. The amazing thing is the Bills only had the ball for 11 minutes while Peterman played, meaning he averaged an interception almost once every two minutes! I felt bad for him because as it turns out, he was put in an impossible situation by coach Sean McDermott. Just because Tyrod Taylor isn’t the answer doesn’t mean Peterman should have been run out there, on the road, against a ferocious pass rush, with a horrible offensive line in front of him.’

‘Chargers 24, Bills 20.’

‘Los Angeles has stumbled to a 3-6 record because it seems to find new ways to blow games every week. But led by pass rushing maniac Joey Bosa, the Chargers rank fourth in the league in sacks, Bosa with 9.5 on his own. And now he’ll get to set his sights on Peterman as the rookie tries to gain his bearings in a game filled with pressure because the Bills can’t afford to lose given the next two opponents they face.’

‘The Chargers won the last meeting 22-10 in 2014 in Buffalo, and have won four of the last five games between the teams.’

‘Now, let’s be clear: Dennison could have called a perfect game, the offense could have rolled up big numbers, and it probably wouldn’t have mattered because the Bills’ defense could not stop the Saints and New Orleans still would have won. But the offense’s repetitive failure gave Buffalo zero hope.’

‘Give this to McDermott: This is his team, he’s calling the shots, and no matter how big or small the issue, he owns it.’

‘“It was pretty emotional, a dream come true to get this opportunity,” Peterman said Wednesday following his first practice as the man in charge of the sagging Buffalo offense formerly guided by Tyrod Taylor. “It’s certainly not done though, at all. Now I have to go work to earn it. It’s only an opportunity, just one step, and I have to keep working.”’

‘But give Taylor his props for being a professional because he certainly didn’t have to stand up and answer any questions about a decision he did not make, a decision he clearly does not agree with, yet the now former starter did so Wednesday morning.’

‘Wednesday’s announcement that Taylor has indeed been benched in favor of Peterman for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers was shocking only for its timing. If you’ve been paying attention to the Bills the last 2½ seasons, McDermott sitting his veteran quarterback with 38 starts and putting his team’s playoff hopes in the hands of a rookie with zero isn’t as big a risk as it seems.’