The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Bills cautious despite strong start
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. » Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams isn’t into making predictions.
No matter how good it feels for Buffalo’s 12-year veteran and elder statesman to be part of a team that’s off to a 5-2 start, Williams would rather stay in the moment.
“I don’t know what the next nine more weeks hold, win-loss wise,” Williams said following a 34-14 win over Oakland on Sunday. “There’s a whole lot in front of us, a whole lot of work to be done. And before we start hug- ging, like, ‘Oh, man, this feels so good,’ we’ve got a quick turnaround right in our face.”
He was referring to Buffalo facing a short week in having to play at the New York Jets on Thursday night.
Williams also can appreciate knowing a 5-2 start is no guarantee for anything for a franchise in the midst of a 17-year playoff drought — the longest active streak in North America’s four major professional sports.
Williams was a member of the two teams that won five of the first seven during the drought, before finishing 6-10 in 2011 and 7-9 in 2008.
“We’re just going to stick to our process and what we do,” Williams said. “We’re going to compete on Sunday or Thursday in New York or Buffalo or in the parking lot or wherever it may be. And we’re going to enjoy playing together.”
The Bills have shown great resolve so far.
Rookie linebacker Matt Milano capitalized on DeAndre Washington’s fumble by scoring the go-ahead touchdown on a 40-yard return on a rainslick field. And the Bills injury- and star-depleted defense forced four turnovers while playing without two starters in the backfield and two days after trading their highest-paid player, defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, to Jacksonville.
LeSean McCoy had a season-best 151 yards rushing and scored on a 48 yard run in a game the Bills scored 27 consecutive points.
The Raiders (3-5), by comparison, unraveled in losing for the fourth time in five games and failing to carry over any of the momentum they generated following a 31-30 come-from-behind victory over Kansas City on Oct. 19.
Rather than return home, the Raiders traveled directly to Florida, where they’ll spend the week preparing to play at Miami next Sunday before entering their bye week.
“I probably won’t shut up all week about how hardwe need to go in practice. We’re at that point,” quarterback Derek Carr said. “Each man needs to