1 – Pro Football Focus impressed by this Bills quarterback
Following the first full slate of NFL games in preseason Week 1, the Pro Football Focus analysis team assessed the pros and cons of each matchup. On the Buffalo side of things, the group was extremely impressed by Bills quarterback Nathan Peterman, who they say looked more poised than ever. Here is what they said about the second-year man out of Pittsburgh.
Nathan Peterman looked far more cool and collected in his first drive of the game than he ever did in a Bills uniform as a rookie. He was surgical in the Bills first two drives and didn't throw a single off-target pass.
Peterman completed all but one of his 10 passes in the first quarter, including a 28-yard touchdown strike to Kelvin Benjamin. Unfortunately, as he was driving in enemy territory towards the end of the first quarter, one of his passes went off the hands of Chris Ivory for an interception. PFF's analysis team also shared their thoughts on the interception.
You want to see your starting quarterback look good in preseason – especially after last year – and Peterman did just that. He led two successful drives and even though the stat sheet says he threw an interception, we all know it wasn't his fault.
Peterman will continue to work on his game throughout the preseason, but in game number one, it was smooth sailing for the 24-year old quarterback.
2 – WR Kaelin Clay motivated to perform
After a tumultuous start to his career, Bills wide receiver Kaelin Clay is in the midst of a heated wide receiver position battle. Currently on the 90-man roster, the Bills hold 13 wide receivers and approximately half will make the 53-man roster. Clay says that although the competition is stiff at his position, he draws his motivation from an internal source.
"You always want to compete wherever you go," he said. "There is going to be stiff competition on all 32 teams, so you have to be driven to compete."
As the final days of training camp are approaching, and the final cut down day is less than a month away, Clay says that he is attempting to continually improve to show the coaching staff that he is prepared to play NFL football.
"I just have to continue to improve every day and show the coaches that I can play fast," said Clay. "I have to continue to do the right things and not make the same mistakes twice."
3 – McDermott evaluating WR group
In a crowded wide receiver group, Bills head coach Sean McDermott has observed a few players emerging as candidates to join the 53-man roster. McDermott has said and continues to note that seventh-round pick Ray-Ray McCloud is a guy who has impressed to this point in the preseason.
"I think he's a young player that continues to get better with each practice," said McDermott. "[He's] gaining a better understanding of how we do things on the field and off the field."
McDermott also talked a bit about McCloud's presence in the team's first preseason game, and what other young players need to do to succeed.
"He made some plays, to your point, the other night," he said. "That was good to see. Really, for a lot of our young guys [it's about] building consistency, practicing day to day and then making a jump or an adjustment."
To go along with all of his thoughts on the younger group of receivers, McDermott talked about Zay Jones' progression into first team reps and when he might practice without a red non-contact jersey.
"I would say [that] we're going to keep progressing," McDermott said of Jones and the team. "We're moving in the right direction, it's just a matter of when we take that jersey off."
