Match Recap: Raiders vs Bills – Week 4

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Las Vegas Raiders (2-2)  |  Buffalo Bills (4-0)

The Buffalo Bills stay perfect in the record books as the Las Vegas Raiders fall for the second consecutive week.

In back to back weeks, the Raiders lose a competitive game with a third quarter that left a lot to be desired for the Silver and Black faithful. Turnovers cost the Raiders early in the second half, and the Bills showed why they are one of the NFL’s undefeated teams by making the Raiders pay.

Just as we’ve seen the Bills do in the first few weeks, today they executed with ease in the first half, but then came out cold in the 2nd. However, Las Vegas did not capitalize on the opportunity and allowed the momentum to shift in Buffalo’s favor.

Raider Nation and company were in for a battle of the quarterbacks in today’s matchup. It was the veteran against a league’s rising star in a close shootout up until the 4th quarter.

Derek Carr and Josh Allen are no strangers to each other as they are both Central California natives. Allen grew up admiring the seventh year vet in the but was able to beat out his Central Valley idol in a 30-23 victory yesterday.

It was a clean game from both teams to start. Throughout the entire first half, neither team gave up the ball on downs, and there was a scoring drive on every possession for both offenses. The game’s first punt did not come until five minutes left in the third quarter.

We did not see enough constant pressure from the Raiders’ defensive line, which allowed Allen to move out of the pocket and distribute the ball with poise.

The third-year quarterback out of Wyoming was executing what the defense presented to him, as he did a great job of working from the hash marks to the sidelines with his speedy wideouts. This allowed more ample opportunities deep downfield for the Bills later in the game that hurt the Raiders tremendously. Allen finished with 288 yards in the air and two touchdowns.

Nonetheless, DC had himself a good game, just not enough to outscore the opponent. Despite the lost fumbles, Carr has had an above-average season thus far. On 100 passing attempts this season, he has completed 74% of those, with eight touchdowns and no interceptions. We are beginning to see Carr become more comfortable with scrambling out of the pocket, and rightfully so. In today’s game, NFL quarterbacks must be able to buy time and create plays with their feet because defenses are too dynamic with their hybrid front sevens and athletic secondary.

Ultimately, the turning point in the game was the forced fumble by former Pro Bowler Josh Norman.

In his debut for the Buffalo Bills, Norman used the “Peanut Tillman” move to punch the football loose from Darren Waller and proceeded to recover his own forced fumble. The play gave the Bills’ offense another quick shot on the field to score.

Within less then two minutes after the fumble play, the Bills drove 60 yards for a touchdown that put things at a two-possession deficit for the Silver and Black. 

Buffalo’s second takeaway of the half came from defensive tackle, Quintin Jefferson. Jefferson iced the game with a forced fumble and recovery against Derek Carr. Jefferson came off the edge and stripped sacked Carr as the Raiders were driving down the field. The Raiders pushed for a late score but came up short on an onside recovery from the Bills special team.

The Las Vegas Raiders fall to .500 on the season and the schedule does not get any easier. Next week they go up against the dangerous, Super Bowl defending champs, the Kansas City Chiefs.

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Justin Brooks – Franchise Sports Media

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Raiders vs Bills