By Jay Skurski<br><a href="mailto:skurskij@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail Jay</a>
ORCHARD PARK
September 21, 2008 11:09 pm
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They’ll remember the way it ended, but members of the Buffalo Bills special teams would probably rather forget much of Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders.
The unit that has been so good under Bobby April in recent years struggled from the get-go, allowing a 69-yard kick return by Oakland’s Johnnie Lee Higgins on the first play of the day. The Raiders would turn the solid position into a field goal.
“That first return wasn’t us,” Bills defensive end Ryan Denney said. “That set the tone and it seemed like the entire first half we didn’t have very good position.”
The Bills started three drives in the first quarter, from their own 26, 13 and 11. After a three-and-out on the drive that started from the 11, Moorman’s punt was returned 15 yards to the Bills 42, Oakland’s second drive start inside Buffalo territory.
Again, the Raiders capitalized with a field goal to make it 6-0.
The second half started on an equally sour note, as the Bills drove 51 yards to the Oakland 27, but Rian Lindell’s 46-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right.
“When he misses, you’re surprised, because you think he’s going to put everything through,” Denney said.
Things bottomed out for the special teams on Oakland’s next punt. Shane Lechler sent a booming punt 56 yards to the Buffalo goal line, where returner Roscoe Parrish fielded it instead of simply letting it go into the end zone for a touchback. Parrish got the ball out to the Bills 17, but a holding flag on Copeland Bryan set the ball inside the Buffalo 1.
Two plays later, quarterback Trent Edwards was picked off and Oakland converted the ensuing drive into a touchdown.
But just like with the offense, special teams turned it around in the fourth quarter. After scoring to make it 23-21, Lindell boomed a kick that was downed by Higgins for a touchback.
“I hit it well, definitely hit it well, kind of drilled it a little bit more,” Lindell said. “It’s nice when they slow up and take that knee, it’s a nice picture.”
After the defense forced a three-and-out, Edwards drove the team down to field goal range, where Lindell’s game-winning 38-yard field goal proved to be the special teams play of the day.
“I just trusted what I’ve done and trusted the week I had put in,” Lindell said. “Good snap, Ryan Neill, good hold, Brian Moorman, and it went through.”
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The Raiders played short-handed the last 8 minutes of the game, as safety Gibril Wilson was ejected after punching Bills receiver Josh Reed following Marshawn Lynch’s 3-yard touchdown run.
Reed said Wilson accused him of blocking him in the back earlier in the game, and the two jawed back and forth until Lynch’s run.
“We got down there in the red zone and coach called the run play. I knew I had to get down there and block him,” Reed said. “I just got in there and got under his pads and just pushed him back into the end zone, and he didn’t like it.”
In addition to being ejected, Wilson also got a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
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Darian Barnes on his 25-yard reception at the end of the first quarter, a catch that included a running back-worthy spin move: “I just run. If I get a chance to get this frame moving forward, I’ll try and do what I can. I can not say that was planned, it just kind of happened.”
Barnes had two catches for 34 yards, his first receptions with the Bills. His last catch was fumbled, but the ball went out of bounds and the Bills kept possession.
Contact reporter Jay Skurski at 693-1000, ext. 117.
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