In their three previous games, the Oakland Raiders committed three total turnovers.
On Sunday, they matched that in a span of just under five minutes from the end of the second quarter until early in the third — then added another later — leading to a 34-14 loss to the Bills in Buffalo.
The loss drops the Raiders to 3-5, just a week after breaking a four-game losing streak with a win over the Chiefs in which the Oakland offense finally came alive.
On Sunday in upstate New York, the offense again took a step back, with the help of three giveaways.
With the game tied 7-7 late in the first half, the Raiders’ first turnover was deadly. After gaining five yards from his own 28, DeAndre Washington fumbled. Bills’ linebacker Matt Milano picked it up and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown to put his team up at the half, 14-7.
Jalen Richard then lost control of the ball on a punt return on the first series of the second half, giving the Bills the ball on the Raiders’ 14, setting up a field goal to go up 17-7. On the very next series, quarterback Derek Carr was intercepted, leading to another field goal to put Oakland back 20-7.
Though the Raiders eventually scored a fourth-quarter touchdown to cut into a 27-7 deficit, the damage already was done and they could come no closer. Carr was intercepted again late in the game after driving his team to the Bills’ 26. The flurry of turnovers was too much to overcome, as Oakland dropped a game it very much needed to win to keep its momentum rolling toward contention in the AFC West.
Sports
Carr finished 31-of-49 for 313 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions. The running game, without Marshawn Lynch, did little. Oakland rushed for just 54 yards on only 14 attempts, while Buffalo averaged 4.5 yards on 37 carries for 166 yards to control the clock and the game.
The Raiders will stay on the East Coast this week to prepare for next Sunday’s night game at Miami against the Dolphins.
