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Week 3 Game Recap: Oakland Raiders 23, Buffalo Bills 24
What you need to know
| Oakland Raiders |
In a very bizarre but not all that shocking story, reports are surfacing out of Oakland that head coach Lane Kiffin is going to be fired early this week, perhaps as soon as Monday morning. This news has been waiting to break for some time now, and it appears that the team's second loss of the season has proven too much for longtime owner Al Davis.
With expected starting RB Darren McFadden slowed by a sprained toe, the rushing duties were split 50-50 between he and Michael Bush. Bush was the more effective of the two backs, and McFadden seemed to have a tough time early on maintaining his footing.
JaMarcus Russell's fantasy line was very top heavy. Over half of his passing yardage came on one long pass play, and he earlier had punched in a rushing touchdown from a yard out. He didn't play terribly, but aside from those two plays he wasn't very effective.
| Buffalo Bills |
Second year starting QB Trent Edwards had a breakout game. He has played well to this point, but facing a nine point deficit in the fourth quarter, he was the reason the Bills were able to come back and win it. He showed poise and determination, and projected a calm confidence in methodically bringing his team back.
RB Marshawn Lynch found the end zone twice more, giving him four scores in the season's first three games. Neither touchdown was particularly easy, as he had to fight through tacklers on each play (and for most of the other parts of the game as well).
WR Josh Reed came up with several key receptions in the fourth quarter to keep drives alive, fellow WR Lee Evans chipped in as well, and Roscoe Parrish caught a crucial touchdown pass. It's been a long time since Buffalo had two fantasy relevant wideouts, but on this day at least, they had three.
What you ought to know
| QB JaMarcus Russell, Pass: 9 - 19 - 156 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 1 - 1 |
Russell showed good mechanics on short and intermediate throws as well as a big arm on the deep balls. But he's still having trouble putting any kind of touch on the fade patterns and end zone passes. He got lots of time to throw the ball all afternoon, but didn't always put it where it needed to be. He would alternate a perfect throw to Ashley Lelie with a weak fade to the corner. He'd then drill one up the middle to Johnnie Lee Higgins for an 84 yard touchdown pass, moments after overthrowing the back of the end zone. He certainly isn't helped along by his receiving corps, that's for sure. Aside from the aforementioned Higgins, he didn't have another wide receiver step in and make a big play all game long. What's more, it was difficult for Russell to put up eye-popping stats when the team was throwing the ball just three times the entire second half. There's protecting the lead, and then there's playing scared. The Raiders appeared scared to death to entrust the game to their young quarterback, which made very little sense considering how well he protected the football on all but one play (failure to protect the football on a hit from LB Paul Posluszny).
| RB Darren McFadden, Rush: 14 - 42 - 0, Rec: 3 - 6 - 0 (2 targets) |
McFadden started the game despite suffering a sprained toe a week ago, but he was a starter in name only. He and Michael Bush split the 28 carries between them, with McFadden getting much of the work on first and second down with Bush coming in for short yardage and third down situations. In truth, McFadden was in and out of the lineup for the entire first quarter. The toe issue seemed to bother McFadden at times, particularly when he tried to plant and cut off the foot. He lost his footing on two successive runs in the first quarter, and then went on to slip two more times in the first half. Each time he fell he was trying to make a cut. It unfortunately cut into his effectiveness big time, because nearly a third of his carries (four out of fourteen) resulted in a slip and fall. The injury seemed to bother him less as the game went on, as he showed an ability to run over defenders rather than trying to go around them. It was a testament to his versatility that he essentially turned into a power back halfway through the game and altered his style to adjust for his weakness. He nearly picked up a touchdown in the third quarter, but had it vultured. After successive six yard runs put the Raiders on the Buffalo one yard line, QB JaMarcus Russell took the handoff and dove in for the score.
| RB Michael Bush, Rush: 14 - 55 - 0, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets) |
Although fellow halfback Darren McFadden got the start, Bush played plenty. He and McFadden both had fourteen carries, with the majority of Bush's damage coming on third down situations (something the team also enjoyed great success with in Week 2). The offensive line was creating big lanes for him, and he responded with a nice burst. Two items of note are: A) It was McFadden, not Bush, who was getting red zone carries in the third quarter, and B) It was Bush, not McFadden, who was getting fourth quarter carries as the Raiders were trying to pick up first downs and run out the clock. It should also be noted that they were unable to do so.
| WR Javon Walker, Rec: 2 - 18 - 0 (3 targets) |
Walker saw three balls head his way in the early part of the first quarter (one of which was in the end zone), and then he essentially disappeared the rest of the way. He made his first catch of the year early on but was certainly not an integral part of the offense.
| WR Ashley Lelie, Rec: 1 - 23 - 0 (7 targets) |
Lelie saw much more action than any other Oakland receiver, but that doesn't mean he did anything with the targets he saw. In fact, he caught just one of the seven passes that went in his direction. He was thrown to three times in the end zone, each successive pass further from being a touchdown than the one before it.
| WR Johnnie Lee Higgins, Rec: 1 - 84 - 1 (1 targets) |
After opening the game with a 69 yard kick return, it appeared as if Higgins' contributions to the outcome were going to be relegated to special teams play. But after a Buffalo score had cut the Raider lead to 16-14, QB JaMarcus Russell found a streaking Higgins down the middle of the field for a quick hit. Higgins caught the ball in stride, and nobody was going to catch him from behind, despite the fact that his premature celebration caused him to slow down at the 35 yard line. He was actually tackled into the end zone by Donte Whitner, which worked out well because it offset his taunting penalty.
| WR Ronald Curry (1 targets) |
Curry is clearly not someone to be relied upon in most formats. He didn't see one pass his way until late in the fourth quarter, a long pass that was well overthrown.
| TE Zach Miller (2 targets) |
Miller, once expected to be Oakland's leading receiver this year, has been little more than an afterthought through three games. He only saw two passes his way in this game, neither of which was caught.
| PK Sebastian Janikowski 3 - 3 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 11 points |
For much of the afternoon, Janikowski was the Raider offense. He booted in three first half field goals to help establish a 9-7 lead. Oakland managed to turn those field goals into touchdowns in the second half, however, so he remained at three field goals for the day. He did save a touchdown on a kick return in the second quarter, a play that was very big at the time it happened.
| OAK Rush Defense |
On a per carry basis, the Raiders did a fine job against a solid Buffalo rushing attack. It's just that they had to make too many plays due to the offense never staying on the field. Even when Oakland's offense was successful (for example, the long touchdown pass to Higgins), the offense was on the field for little more than a moment before sending the defense back out. Buffalo RB Marshawn Lynch employs a rushing style specifically designed to wear out the opposition, and that's just what he did in this game. The Raiders stood very little chance of containing him all game long, though they came pretty darn close. The stats are going to show you that Lynch had 83 yards and two scores on the ground. But the truth of the matter is that the Raiders held him to 3.6 yards per carry and held him in check on most of his runs.
| OAK Pass Defense |
Oakland was doing a fine job in containing Trent Edwards, until the fourth quarter, that is. The Raiders had a good pass rush early on and were forcing Edwards to hold the ball far too long. What's more, the CB combination of Nnamdi Asomugha and DeAngelo Hall was shutting down WRs Lee Evans and Josh Reed. The defensive front was able to force a fumble on Edwards, while Asomugha forced another on Lee Evans just before the half as Buffalo was driving to score. The Raiders were also the beneficiaries of what appeared to be a bad call. On a quick slant, both Hall and Lee Evans appeared to have their hands on the ball. Rather than rule simultaneous possession (which would've kept the ball in Buffalo hands), the officials called it an interception and it surprisingly stood up to review. However, in the fourth quarter things began to unravel a bit. Prior to that interception, Edwards was just 9-19 for 93 yards and zero touchdowns. After that interception, he was 13-18 for 193 yards and a score. He was able to read the Oakland blitzes and looked dare I say, Manning-esque in leading the offense. This was due in part largely to the outstanding play of Edwards but also because the Raiders were suddenly having issues. A perfect illustration was when S Gibril Wilson was whistled for a personal foul penalty and ejected from the game after an open-handed punch to the facemask of Josh Reed. In fairness, he was being dragged down by his shirt unnecessarily. But as a veteran, he knows that it's always the guy who retaliates that gets caught.
| QB Trent Edwards, Pass: 24 - 39 - 279 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - 9 - 0 |
Edwards didn't look great at the beginning of the game. The Oakland defense was applying intense pressure on him, and he was making matters worse by holding onto the football way too long. The fumble can be directly attributed to this, as he was winding up to pass when the ball was knocked from his hand. It wasn't all bad for Edwards in the first half. Despite the pressure (or perhaps because of it), he was forced to improvise quite a bit. He did, flipping a backhand pass Darian Barnes for a 25 yard pickup and later showing good improvisational skills in avoiding the oncoming rush to find Marshawn Lynch for a first down late in the third quarter. But it was the fourth quarter that he really came alive in the game. He had thrown an interception in the third quarter. Where that might have rattled most quarterbacks, Edwards used it as sort of a rallying cry. Prior to the fumble, he was just 9-19 for 93 yards and no touchdowns. But after the pick, he went 13-18 for 193 yards and a difficult touchdown pass to Roscoe Parrish. The Parrish touchdown was spectacular in that Edwards had a defender right in his face and about to introduce him to the turf. But rather than cover up, Edwards lofted a perfect pass to the near corner to Parrish, who waltzed into the end zone and cut it to a two point game. All throughout the drive, Edwards was under pressure. Yet all throughout the drive, he was calm and collected. His release was extremely fast, and he always seemed to be moving down the field. It's not a stretch to suggest that mechanically speaking, he looked a lot like Peyton Manning on the field. No one is suggesting he'll put up those numbers, but it's a nice start for a young player like Edwards.
| RB Marshawn Lynch, Rush: 23 - 83 - 2, Rec: 4 - 31 - 0 (6 targets) |
Having now scored four times in the team's first three games, it's probably safe to say that Marshawn Lynch is off to a great start. He added two touchdowns in this game and played with the ferocious determination that made him a high first round pick a year ago. Early on, it was tough to find running lanes. So, he just made them himself. He was simply running over people to get his yardage. Then after displaying his power for awhile, he went back to his agility. His first touchdown run was outstanding, because he needed to not only withstand the potential punishment of a tackle, but he also had to somehow find a way to remain inbounds and stretch the ball over the pylon -- oh and have I mentioned that he had to do all of this while going into the end zone sideways? His second touchdown was just as impressive, though far less difficult. He simply powered it in from five yards out, but this time he brought the entire team with him. They got a great push up front, and nobody was keeping him out of the end zone on that one. He was simply piling up yardage on the game-winning field goal drive (4 carries, 19 yards), and finished up with 114 yards from scrimmage and the two scores.
| RB Fred Jackson, Rush: 5 - 24 - 0, Rec: 1 - 1 - 0 (2 targets) |
After a big game a week ago, Jackson had a very quiet afternoon. He totaled just six touches, and was seen on the sideline holding his shoulder after a big hit early on in the third quarter. There was no immediate update on whether the injury will affect him going forward, but we'll keep you updated on anything.
| WR Josh Reed, Rec: 6 - 72 - 0 (8 targets) |
Reed caught a game high six balls for a team high 72 yards and appeared to be Trent Edwards' favorite target in the second half. Perhaps part of that could be explained by the fact that CB DeAngelo Hall was covering Reed and giving him loads of room to work with on every play. The result was Reed's best single-game performance since the 2003 season.
| WR Lee Evans, Rec: 4 - 65 - 0 (10 targets) |
Evans had an extremely up and down afternoon. Mostly down. With the Bills driving into Oakland territory late in the first half, Evans caught a ball and was about to be tackled on the sideline. He handled the football carelessly, and CB Nnamdi Asomugha forced a critical fumble. Head coach Dick Jauron emphasized his faith in Evans by going right back to him to open the third quarter with a 34 yard pass play. But Evans showed later that quarter why he maybe shouldn't be trusted so much when he was unable to wrestle a ball away from CB DeAngelo Hall on what was eventually ruled an interception. Evans also negated a 38 yard pass play when he was whistled for offensive pass interference in the third quarter.
| WR Roscoe Parrish, Rec: 3 - 42 - 1 (5 targets) |
Parrish wasn't extensively used throughout the game, though he did catch one of the biggest and most important grabs of the entire day when he hauled in the touchdown that cut the Raider lead to 23-21.
| WR James Hardy (1 targets) |
After scoring a key touchdown last week, Hardy saw just one target all afternoon. It resulted in a drop, and it didn't come until late in the fourth quarter.
| TE Robert Royal, Rec: 4 - 34 - 0 (5 targets) |
Royal didn't light up the stat sheet by any means, and he was more of a safety valve than anything. That said, he did catch four passes and could provide some value to a fantasy team starving for a tight end, especially since it appears that the Buffalo offense is vastly improved from last year's version.
| PK Rian Lindell 1 - 2 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 6 points |
Lindell ended up the hero of the game after connecting on the winning kick from 38 yards out as time expired. He needed redemption after pushing a 46 yard attempt just wide in the third quarter. In fairness, it was into the wind and the weather conditions were not great after halftime. The Bills had also earlier passed up an opportunity to kick a 53 yard field goal, instead opting to go for it on fourth and two. Marshawn Lynch converted the attempt, but WR Lee Evans fumbled on the next play to turn it over.
| BUF Rush Defense |
The Bills held the Raiders' vaunted two-headed attack of Darren McFadden and Michael Bush to just 97 yards on 28 carries and no scores. Granted, Bush hasn't seen much action in his professional career and McFadden is clearly limited by a toe injury, but the Bills still made the stops when they needed to. About the only time they caved was on a goal line situation in the third quarter. Trailing 9-7, they allowed two straight six yard runs to McFadden before allowing JaMarcus Russell to plow in from a yard out. Aside from that one series, however, the Bills were pretty stout in this phase.
| BUF Pass Defense |
The Buffalo defense made one glaring error in this game, and fortunately for them it didn't cost them the win. Trailing 16-14 late in the fourth quarter, Johnnie lee Higgins was allowed to roam free across the middle of the field for a quick slant. QB JaMarcus Russell put the ball right on target and in stride, and Higgins did the rest in racing for the 84 yard score. The Bills employed a sort of 'bend but don't break' strategy, as they allowed Oakland to penetrate deep into their territory several times only to come away with field goals. This can be attributed in large part to the pass defense of Buffalo to keep the Raiders out of the end zone.
