There are days being a Raider fan is tougher than living near Sand people.

When the schedule 1st came out, I knew this specific game was going to be a challenge. The Buffalo Bills are one of the best teams in the NFL and are Super Bowl contenders.

We’re ….uh..

still trying to figure out what our identity is in 2023.

We are just not in that specific tier yet. When are record reads something better than .500…

When we show promise and defeat a top tier team..

When we show other teams we WILL NOT QUIT...

only THEN we can be upgraded into the NFL elite.

Until then? We continue to strive to be something respectable and feared.

There will be a better day…

Just don’t tell Coach that..

"We’ve got to do a better job and get our football team to do more things right if we’re going to compete against a team like this in an environment like this," coach Josh McDaniels said.

No kidding?

"We created some momentum at the beginning of the game, but momentum is just a word," McDaniels said. "You need to play well and coach well for 60 minutes. You can’t just live off the momentum of a drive. We had five decent plays and then didn’t play very well the rest of the game."

That first drive was something wasn’t it? I think the Bills put on their hard hats immediately after Tae's amazing 1st Quarter TD.

"I’m not real encouraged about much of what we did today as an overall team, and I take responsibility for that."

We clearly got outmuscled by the big men for 4 quarters. We couldn’t get our rushing game going (our greatest asset) and often didn’t have time to throw.

"When they get ahead, it puts more pressure on us to execute better," Raiders offensive tackle Kolton Miller said. "We didn’t do it, so it’s disappointing. But it’s not like we stopped fighting. We just need to perform better."

Never stop fighting, Linemen. You’ll be needed in the many Weeks to come!

"We got off to the good start we wanted to," Garoppolo said. "We had talked about that all week, but we just didn’t sustain it. That starts with myself. I made way too many mistakes. Physical, mental, just all of it. Then we just couldn’t get in a rhythm. To beat a good team like that at their place, you have to play a lot better than that, and they just took advantage of us."

One INT was off Jacobs hands and appeared to be a screen pass he should’t of thrown. Another was a little high near LB Matt Milano’s hands. Josh Jacobs isn’t really a big catching threat…but this Defense had us limited our options.

We honestly needed better pushing from our O-line.

"After the first drive, we never really had control of the line of scrimmage," McDaniels said. #8 had a different take..

"I wouldn’t say it turned there," Jacobs said after becoming the first reigning rushing champion since the 1970 merger to finish a game with negative rushing yards the following season. "After that, we felt like we still had a chance to win"

And then??

"Probably the next couple drives I felt the energy change."

Josh Jacobs finished with nine carries for minus-2 yards.

"We need to address where (it) went wrong, improve from there," the All-Pro running back and reigning NFL rushing champion said

"I don’t think we need to (say), ‘All right next game’ and flush it," he added. "I don’t think that would create a winning culture."

Let’s soak in this loss today ,JJ…then learn from it tomorrow!

"I feel like I’ve just got to do more," Jacobs said dejectedly. "Got to do more. You know what I’m saying? Create plays when it’s there and make the guys (on the offensive line) right, even if they mess up on a play."

Thank you for being the most honest MF out there, #8. I know we can play better.

Bills safety Jordan Poyer, also indicated that Buffalo planned to stop the Raiders’ rushing offense: "We felt like if we got ahead of them and were able to stop the run, that we get them in a pass-situation-type game, we’d be able to feast. And we did."

Coach McDaniels did not diagnose the problems with the rushing offense, explaining that "once you lose control of the line of scrimmage, it’s difficult to have control of the game."

"They challenged us. They’re going to keep challenging us," Miller said. "We’ve just got to keep pushing. More.. More. We’ve got to press more into it."

Please press AND push the Steelers into the stands next Sunday, Kolton. We’re counting on yas!!!

"Obviously, we’ve got to coach and play better, much better than we did today," said McDaniels, he of the 18-29 record, after his most lopsided loss with the Raiders.

"That’s my responsibility. I’ve got to do a better job."

They were outgained 450-240 and had the ball for 19:56 to Buffalo’s 40:04.

"A lot of work to do. A lot of lessons to learn," McDaniels said. "So we’ll be hard at work with that, obviously, this week."

Do I need to come to practice and torture kids, Coach? I’m good at this! Call me!

Trailing 31-10 with 12:53 to play, McDaniels seemingly waved the white flag by opting to punt on fourth-and-3 from his 42-yard line instead of running a play from scrimmage and vie to extend the drive. His explanation was as pathetic as the decision: "The football game has still got to be played, you know what I mean? You go for it there, and end up giving them the ball in a short field there".

Many fans would like the team to keep fighting despite the score…

but it’s really on our Coach to decide when he wants to throw in the Apollo Creed towel.

"It is what it is."

Again, we are TRYING to figure out our identity is.

"I’m not real encouraged about much of what we did today just as an overall team. Again, I take responsibility for that. … We’ve got to do everything better."

I suggest better gatorade. Cucumber tastes too healthy..Green Apple is fire!!!

"We’re going to need to take a look at what we’re doing. We’re going to have to take a look at how we’re doing it," McDaniels said. "No matter what we do, we’re going to have to be more productive than what we’ve done."

I believe the biggest priority SHOULD BE to fix our running game. Everything/ Everyone will work more effiencetly after our main engine is running effectively IMO.

Maybe we can even get more carries for our Rookie Tre Tucker! Did anyone see his awesome Jets sweep play? Tre was downright giddy when he took the handoff and saw the open space in front of him.

"To be out there and help is great," Tucker said. "Just being ready when your number is called is important to me. And then when the ball is in your hands, it’s time to make a play."

"He’s an explosive player," coach Josh McDaniels said. "We’ve all seen that since we drafted him. Now he’s had the opportunity to play in his first game, and he was able to make a play on the first drive. We’d like to get him involved."

He also had a critique of his long run, even though he was clocked at 21.1 mph by Next Gen Stats, the fourth-fastest time of any ball carrier in the league this season.

"It’s funny because people were teasing me that I looked a little slow, and I actually felt slow, too," he said. "I know I have 22 or 23 in me."

Why not 25 mph? Btw, can you run routes??!?! (:

Did anyone also notice our Kicker can tackle?!?

Bills Damien Harris broke free for a 41-yard return only to be corralled and thrown down by the 6-foot-5-inch, 215-pound Dan Carlson. How did it feel, sir?!?!

"Kicking is more fun," he said. "I have to kick off a little better so I can set those other guys up to make tackles. Hopefully, if I have to do it, it’s only once every couple years."

Oh come on..YOU’RE A RAIDER! YOU WERE BORN TO HIT!

BOOM! POW! SHOULD BE IN YOUR EVERYDAY VOCABULARY!

Carlson blamed himself for the return happening in the first place.

"It was short," he said of the kick. "I would have liked it more outside. It kind of got caught up in the wind. You don’t want to give up free yards and I think it only got to the 7 (-yard line). But it happens, and I have to be a football player every once in a while."

Please lift more weights, DC..

The Defense?

Uhm..

We didn’t really have one.

We just couldn’t get Buffalo off the field. Just couldn’t stop Josh Allen and his crew. The Bills had a possession time of 40:04. Think about that. Allen lived with underneath patterns, completing his first 13 passes (a regular-season record for him) while finishing 31 of 37 with three touchdowns. He hit nine receivers. Buffalo also rushed for 183 yards, led by a career-best 123 from James Cook. It wasn’t the best day for Raiders cornerback Nate Hobbs. He had a pass interference in the end zone that led to a touchdown, was beaten for another and a hands to the face call that negated an interception.Trevon Moehrig also had a huge PI call in the 2nd Quarter. Robert Spillane (14 tackles) and Divine Deablo (10) had one sack a piece for the Raiders, who allowed 450 yards. Maxx Crosby was held often and occasionally pulled by his neck……thanks Refs.

The Silver Linings:

The Raiders didn’t give up a sack after not allowing one last week against Denver, marking just the second time in franchise history and first since 1977 that they have avoided a sack through two games. The Bills look like they can compete w/ KC again (HOPEFULLY) and we're FINALLY home after 3 long MF Weeks for SNF!

Summary:

https://www.nfl.com/games/raiders-at-bills-2023-reg-2

That’s it for this addition, true Believers! We have a lot to work on before we finally make it BACK TO LAS VEGAS to battle the Steelers after a long AF break!

MY BDAY WISHES:

I want Kenny Pickett sacked more than Idaho potatoes! I want Najee Harris hit harder than Jawas hit their droids! I need Johnson and Robinson wrapped up like carnitas Burritos! Make an old Sith Lord happy…

OR SUFFER THE WRATH OF THE DARK SIDE!!!

Whew…I must tired or hangry.. (:

Cheers all!!

EXCELSIOR!

Lord of the Sith, Master of all evil

DARTH RAIDER