This is a huge game. It's only Week 2, but this game is the seed from which this season will be planted. The Raiders will return home for this game having to face the Jets and the Patriots in their next two games.
A loss to the Bills could leave this team with a 1-3 start quicker than you holy f*&(&*^* ...&$#@$$!.
If the Raiders beat the Bills, they will return to Oakland surrounded by a growing buzz and lofty expectations. This will be a team rolling into their home opener in front of jacked-up fans of a team ready to bully the Jets of the front burner.
If they lose, they return home with the ever present and looming fear of that 1-3 start.
The wide receivers are broken; Michael Huff is dinged, and they are on the road playing against a team that won by 34 points last week.
This is the exact kind of game where they have come up disgustingly flat and been blown out time and again. A win here and they will cross that final hurdle separating them from the dark ages.
They need to win a game on the road to a team outside of their division. Jump over for more....
The Raiders were 0-5 last year in those games and 1-4, thanks the Gradkowski home coming miracle, the year before that. The Raiders beat down a lot of demons last year, but they couldn't shake a blow-out rearing its exorcism head around in the worst possible of times.
It is time for the Raiders to clear that hurdle.
When this team wins, they run it down your throat, and beat you up with their defensive line. They are in a position to do just that.
Richard Seymour has missed practice with rib issues, but I'd be shocked if he didn't play. Captain Seymour needs to lead his linemates to a dominate performance. They should be able to win every matchup along the D-line. They will dominate this games for long enough stretches to get the run game going in high gear.
The Raiders are going up against a team that was last against the rush in 2010, and gave up six yards a carry to the Chiefs. They gave up far less yards to the Chiefs, but the average per carry is almost identical to their 2010 matchup. They are still vulnerable to the run.
This team went into the Broncos game with similar circumstances. They had to run the ball against a suspect run defense and they did. I expect them to do it again.
The Raiders win 27-23.