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Evan Silva of rotoworld.com picks the Raiders over Bills

Thought this was worth posting. I read Evan Silva every week and I consider him one of the best football analysts around. He goes into every detail for every game and usually does a top notch job. He's a fantasy guy, so he does tie that in with each write up. Here's what he wrote on the Raiders-Bills game...


SOURCE:

http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/38785/179/matchups-climb--and--ride-hillis?pg=2

Oakland @ Buffalo

Not to take away from Chan Gailey's tried-and-true offensive system, but key to Buffalo's Week 1 scoring bonanza was a Chiefs defense that generated no pressure. Monday night watchers may have noticed ESPN's Trent Dilfer raving about the Oakland front seven last week. It's a legit force. A Raiders defense that quietly ranked second in the NFL in sacks last season hung four of them and a forced fumble on Kyle Orton, also holding Broncos backs to a paltry 25 yards in 12 carries (2.08 YPC). The talent differential between Oakland's trench men and Buffalo's is sizable. I'd have trouble using the Bills-Chiefs Week 1 game as basis to start Buffalo skill players, most notably Ryan Fitzpatrick and Fred Jackson. ... Blowout wins skew backfield distribution, as teams tend to give weaker players more reps with a comfortable lead. But Jackson started and got 11 first-half touches, compared to C.J. Spiller's four, before the game got out of hand. I'm not bullish on using Jackson against the Raiders, but he's the clear-cut feature back and Spiller is the pace change.

In my game reviews, I entered Bills-Chiefs expecting to find reasons why Scott Chandler was a fluke. Another Frisman Jackson or Dante Rosario -- flash-in-the-pan Week 1 stars of the past. Chandler caught all five of his targets for 63 yards and two touchdowns at Kansas City. Long (6-foot-7), lean, and pretty athletic, Chandler worked often in the slot and was heavily involved in the passing game. Chandler's downside is that he's a rotational player, seeing only 38-of-57 (66.7%) offensive snaps on Opening Day. I still wouldn't be surprised if he scored 5-7 more touchdowns this season. Gailey's Pistol Spread offense floods the field with receivers, and Fitzpatrick gets the ball out quickly. Chandler is a nice post-up target deep in the red zone. Just don't expect much yardage. ... The Bills' one must-start skill player remains Steve Johnson, who's scored 11 TDs in the 15 games since Fitzpatrick became Buffalo's starter. His latest, in Week 1, came on a 27-yard go route with Chiefs top CB Brandon Flowers in coverage. Johnson is a legit playmaker and WR2.

With Jacoby Ford nursing a bum hamstring, Chaz Schilens an unsafe bet to stay healthy for the next hour, Kevin Boss coming off a lost preseason, Louis Murphy out indefinitely, and Darrius Heyward-Bey injuring his own knee in Thursday's practice, Denarius Moore's opportunity may be nigh. The camp sensation is listed directly behind Heyward-Bey on the Raiders' depth chart, so Moore will be in line to start if DHB misses the game. Though obviously a roll of the dice, Moore has superior big-play ability and should be able to get open against the Terrence McGee-less Bills secondary. It'd be a real stretch to start Moore at Buffalo, obviously. Just don't be surprised if this is his breakout game. ... The Raiders figure to employ a run-heavy game plan just as they did in Week 1, limiting Jason Campbell to 13 completions for a measly 103 yards. He's a weak QB2.

The Bills limited Kansas City to 108 yards rushing in Week 1, but Jamaal Charles and Dexter McCluster's combined 7.0 YPC suggests they remain vulnerable to the run, even post-M.D. (Marcell Dareus). Odds are, Darren McFadden will light them up. ... Michael Bush received nine Week 1 carries, but Hue Jackson is clearly still employing a one-back system. Bush wouldn't have played as much if not for a mid-game McFadden shoulder injury caused by a Broncos defender foolishly ripping his helmet off, before late-game clock-killing mode. Bush is just a handcuff.

Score Prediction: Raiders 21, Bills 17

 

SOURCE: http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/38785/179/matchups-climb--and--ride-hillis?pg=2

Let's hope he's right!!