Archives for September 2008

‘"You just don’t go as hard on Friday and Saturday nights," he said before Sunday’s thrilling 24-23 victory over the Oakland Raiders at Ralph Wilson Stadium, where thousands of fans ate and drank and didn’t seem to mind a gray morning with skies that threatened of rain but never produced it.’

‘Sunday was a hidden minefield waiting to be trampled through – the Raiders’ front office might be in chaos, but nobody on the Ralph Wilson Stadium turf was wearing a jumpsuit. Lane Kiffen sure looked the part of veteran coach and the Raiders’ lines, both on offense and defense, hardly looked like those of cellar dwellers. Oakland has talent, as the JaMarcus Russell-to-Johnnie Lee Higgins punch to the gut proved.’

‘Things bottomed out for the special teams on Oakland’s next punt. Shane Lechler sent a booming punt 56 yards to the Buffalo goal line, where returner Roscoe Parrish fielded it instead of simply letting it go into the end zone for a touchback. Parrish got the ball out to the Bills 17, but a holding flag on Copeland Bryan set the ball inside the Buffalo 1.’

‘The Good: There’s plenty to pick from, including the final play of the game, which gave the Bills the win. But we thought the pitch and catch from Edwards to Roscoe Parrish that made the score 23-21 was exactly how Parrish should be used.’

‘With Edwards behind center, it’s not that Buffalo is 3-0, it is how Buffalo got to 3-0. Last week against Jacksonville, Edwards looked like a seasoned veteran marching the Bills down the field. He then capped off the drive by throwing a jump ball touchdown lob to rookie James Hardy late in the fourth quarter for the win. And if you thought that was impressive, what he did Sunday at Ralph Wilson must seem next to incredible.’

‘”This means a lot,” said Edwards, the second-year quarterback from Stanford who led a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown drives and moved the Bills into position for Lindell’s winning kick. “We’re going to grow up a lot from this win.”‘

‘Unlike Losman, who never was able to check his ego at the interview room door, Edwards comes across in the locker room and outside of it as the consummate leader.’

‘”It took us a little while to get going,” Reed said. “We kept shooting ourselves in the foot. “Everybody in the huddle, nobody got down,” added Reed. “Even after they scored, nobody ever had their heads down.”‘

‘”This team and the guys on this team have gone through a lot,” fifth-year receiver Lee Evans said. “You could pick out a couple of examples from every season where we lose games this way. It’s good to come out on top and see what it feels like on the other side for a change.”‘

‘”We’re going to grow up a lot from this win,” Edwards said. “It felt for a while there that is just wasn’t our day and it wasn’t going to happen. We could have just sat back and took it on the chin. … But now the guys in the locker room are all happy and we’re sitting 3-0 and going in the right direction.”‘

‘”You know what?” Bills owner Ralph Wilson asked. “I’m speechless.”‘

Raiders lack KO punch against Bills (Oakland Tribune)

Raiders were good, but not good enough (Oakland Tribune)

Kiffin watch continues in Oakland following loss (Oakland Tribune)

Raiders report card (Oakland Tribune)

Fourth quarter dooms Raiders (San Francisco Chronicle)

Despite the bad ending, it’s not time to change coaches (San Francisco Chronicle)

Higgins nearly pays for strutting his stuff (San Francisco Chronicle)

Game review (San Francisco Chronicle)

Photo gallery (San Francisco Chronicle)

Bumpy ride for Raiders, Kiffin (Contra Costa Times)

Photo gallery (Contra Costa Times)

Kiffin watch continues after Raiders’ loss (Sacramento Bee)

Higgins’ first TD as Raider is bittersweet (Sacramento Bee)

McFadden has no excuses (Sacramento Bee)

Bills thrive under no pressure (Santa Rosa Press Democrat)

Trent Edwards has what JaMarcus Russell wants (Santa Rosa Press Democrat)

Playing soft only makes loss harder to swallow for Raiders (Eureka Times Standard)

Bills Beat Raiders 24-23 on Last Second FG (Raiders.com)

‘Sheriff Tim Howard said 75 people got kicked out of Sunday’s game. He said that’s pretty normal, but he said that if the Bills would have lost, things after the game could have been different.’

‘"A little different," Kelsay remarked of being able to say the Bills are in first place. "I’ve never been able to say that before. That’s a new thing, but it feels good."’