Different is an adjective.     A horse is different from a zebra.    I wanted a different teacher than the one I have.

Difference is a noun.   The difference between a horse and a zebra is that the zebra has stripes.  The difference between the two teachers is that the other teacher is more intelligent.

Differ is a verb and differed is a verb in past tense --- usually referring to having a different opinion --- as in "I differed from John. He voted for Trump and I never would."

I think the writer above is confusing differed with deferred.  To defer means to put off until later or to postpone.

peter and John are different

there is a difference between peter and john

Differed comes from the verb to differ = not to do = to postpone

the meeting is differed because the manager is sick = no meeting today 

the meeting is differed to next week= no meeting today but next week 

I hope it helps :)