Raiders knock Bills out of playoffs with 26-24 win (w/video)

OAKLAND - It was a well-executed onside kick by the Buffalo Bills. But Charles Woodson, the wiliest (or at least oldest) of the Raiders veterans was in the right place. He leaped high, caught the ball cleanly and held on as a wave of Bills washed over him, allowing his team to run out the clock on a 26-24 victory.

Afterward, Woodson was asked whether he has always been on the “hands team” that lines up to receive onside kicks.

“Yeah, you just never see us get to have that opportunity,” Woodson said with a smile. “It’s good to be in that opportunity where we can get a win and go up and get the ball.”

Indeed, the 3-12 Raiders haven’t had many chances to close out opponents this season. But things have clearly changed for this team lately. After firing their head coach and goofing their way to an 0-10 record, the Raiders have won three of their past five games, and three straight at O.co Coliseum.

Most impressive, all three wins have come against teams that had winning records at the time and were angling for playoff spots. The Chiefs and 49ers damaged their odds by losing here, and the Bills (8-7) were eliminated from the postseason entirely.

“You guys write the story. I don’t write the story,” Raiders interim coach Tony Sparano said. “We just do what we do out there on the field. But what it says to me, this team is hook, line and sinker ‘in.’ And they’re in it for the long haul. And they fight. And they’re tough.”

The Raiders were far from perfect on Sunday. The offense started the game with three consecutive three-and-outs and looked messy in the process, while the Bills began with an effortless 42-yard touchdown strike from Kyle Orton to rookie Sammy Watkins. The Oakland defense missed too many tackles in the second half and allowed the Bills to climb off the ropes and turn a comfortable game into a nail-biter.

When Raiders safety Brandian Ross intercepted Kyle Orton’s pass with 2:22 remaining and Oakland holding a 26-17 lead, the home team seemed ready to coast. But Sebastian Janikowski, who had nailed his first four field-goal attempts, missed a 48-yard try with 1:55 left.

The Bills were out of timeouts, but Orton and running back Fred Jackson connected on a 34-yard pass play, and two plays later the quarterback delivered a dart to wide receiver Robert Woods in the end zone to cut the score to 26-24.

It took Woodson’s soft hands to seal the game.

In a way, the Raiders’ imperfections against Buffalo show just how far this team has come. Shortcomings like those probably would have doomed them early in the season, under either Dennis Allen or his replacement, Sparano. Gradually, the Raiders are learning to overcome adversity, even when it’s of their own making.

Especially encouraging Sunday was the emergence of the Oakland ground game. Latavius Murray gained 86 yards on 23 carries, and long-dormant Darren McFadden contributed 54 yards on nine attempts. Two of the Raiders’ field-goal drives were heavily run-based.

As the running game picked up, rookie quarterback Derek Carr began to find his marks. Carr began the game by completing one of his first six passes, for just 4 yards, but finished the afternoon 17 of 34 for 214 yards. He did not throw an interception.

Carr did a masterful job of spreading the ball. His 50-yard completion to wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins set up the Raiders’ first score, a 3-yard pass to James Jones. His 51-yard strike to Andre Holmes on third-and-22 set up Oakland’s second touchdown, which came on a 1-yard flare to fullback Jamize Olawale. It was Olawale’s first NFL touchdown.

This was against a Buffalo defense that had made superstar quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers looked pretty bad – a combined four interceptions, with zero touchdowns – in the two games before Sunday’s.

In less than one full NFL season, Carr has very obviously positioned himself as one of the Raiders’ leaders.

“We’re trying to change the culture, and we are changing the culture here,” he said. “… Finishing out 3-0 at home, finishing out the way that we can, all those things are so important in building this franchise.”

Carr answered questions patiently and cheerfully for about nine minutes, then closed the book on this latest win. Before leaving the podium, he offered his customary “God bless.” And then he leaned back into the microphone for a final send-off: “And Merry Christmas.”

Amazingly, it should be just that for Raiders fans.