FLASH RECAP:
Rich Gannon out-duels Drew Bledsoe as Oakland (4-0) equals its best start since 1990 with a victory over Buffalo (2-3) before an announced crowd of 73,038 at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York on Oct. 6, 2002. In an American Football League-style shootout, the Raiders and Bills combine for 80 points, 53 first downs, 974 yards and 11 touchdowns. Oakland's Gannon throws for 357 yards and three touchdowns, and Buffalo's Bledsoe passes for 417 yards and two scores. Despite allowing 479 yards and 29 first downs, Oakland's defense has three interceptions (two by cornerback Tory James) and five sacks.
Trailing for the first time this season entering the fourth quarter, the Raiders score 21 unanswered points. Gannon throws a 69-yard touchdown pass to Charlie Garner (above) with 11:18 remaining to erase a 31-28 Buffalo lead. After the Bills drive to the Oakland 27 on the ensuing possession, rookie cornerback Phillip Buchanon intercepts a Bledsoe pass and returns it 81 yards for a touchdown. The Raiders seal victory on Gannon's 20-yard scoring pass to Jerry Rice with 4:20 remaining.
PRIME-TIME PLAYERS:
RB Charlie Garner - Has 177 total yards and two electrifying touchdowns - a 36-yard run in the second quarter and a 69-yard catch and run in the fourth quarter. After four games this season, Garner is averaging a whopping 8.4 yards per rush.
QB Rich Gannon - Completes 23 of 38 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns. He has a 24-yard run and scores on a 1-yard bootleg.
CB Phillip Buchanon - Returns a Drew Bledsoe interception 81 yards for a touchdown, just when the Bills are driving for a potential go-ahead score midway through the fourth quarter.
WR Jerry Porter - Contributes seven catches for 117 yards (both career highs) and a touchdown.
OT Langston Walker - The rookie from Cal is near-flawless in his first NFL start. Walker starts at right tackle in place of Lincoln Kennedy, who missed most of practice during the week after sustaining a concussion against Tennessee on Sept. 29.
QB Drew Bledsoe - Throws for 417 yards and two touchdowns, but he suffers three second-half.
WR Eric Moulds - Has seven second-half receptions after being held to only one catch in the first half.
WR Peerless Price - Has seven catches for 124 yards and a touchdown.
RB Travis Henry - Contributes seven receptions for 47 yards and rushes 58 yards on 15 carries.
KEY STAT:
The Raiders have 10 plays that gain at least 20 yards.
TURNING POINT:
Cornerback Phillip Buchanon returns a Drew Bledsoe pass 81 yards for a touchdown to increase Oakland's lead to 42-31 with 8:02 left in the fourth quarter.
BY THE NUMBERS:
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5: Touchbacks for Oakland's Sebastian Janikowski, who has 11 touchbacks the past two games.
6: Dropped passes by Oakland receivers.
21: Fourth-quarter points by the Raiders, who trail 31-28 after three periods.
815: Combined passing yards allowed by Oakland the past two games.
THEY SAID IT:
Raiders CB Phillip Buchanon
"Before that drive I had a vision I would make a play. I wasn't thinking it would be an 80-yard touchdown. I thought I would get a pick or something like that."
"They did what we saw on film, they didn’t do anything different, it wasn’t like they had a special plan for us, we just didn’t make any plays.”
Bills CB Nate Clements
DID YOU KNOW?:
The Raiders have their first 4-0 start since 1990, when they finished 12-4 and lost 51-3 to the host Bills in the AFC title game.
Charlie Garner out-runs Buffalo's Pierson Prioleau on a 69-yard touchdown reception.
By Associated Press
