ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — With their starter hobbled by a knee injury, the Buffalo Bills will reportedly turn to a rookie quarterback to start today's game against the Indianapolis Colts.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports Nathan Peterman will get his second-career start today, as Tyrod Taylor continues to deal with a knee contusion suffered in last week's game against the New England Patriots.
CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora reports, however, that the team "won't make any final decision until Tyrod warms up."
Although Taylor did not practice on Wednesday and was a very limited participant the next two days, Colts head coach Chuck Pagano and defensive coordinator Ted Monachino each said they were preparing to see the seventh-year Virginia Tech product on the field Sunday.
That's because Taylor, one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the National Football League, demands a little more attention within — and outside of — the pocket, while Peterman has more of a traditional drop-back style.
In each of his first two seasons in Buffalo — both of which ended in Pro Bowl selections — Taylor posted 3,000 yards through the air with at least 17 touchdowns and no more than six interceptions, while his 1,358 combined rushing yards is second only to the Carolina Panthers' Cam Newton among NFL quarterbacks over that span.
But despite that production — and the fact the Bills (6-6) have remained in playoff contention — their head coach, Sean McDermott, decided to sit Taylor in favor of Peterman for the team's Week 11 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Peterman's first-career start lasted all of two quarters, however, as he was picked off five times in one half, tying the record for most interceptions thrown in an NFL debut.
While McDermott went back with Taylor as the team's starter moving forward, Peterman was able to get back on the field last week in relief duty against the Patriots, completing 6-of-15 passes for 40 yards in Buffalo's 23-3 home loss.
"You've got to have a short memory in this business and I thought Nate came out and made a great throw on the first throw to Andre [Holmes] there and went through his progression at times and did some good things," McDermott told reporters on Wednesday. "So it's good that he continues to work, continues to play through and continues to grow and build on what he's done in the past."
