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Edwards leads Bills to comeback win

Sep 21, 2008 - 10:16 PM ORCHARD PARK, New York (Ticker) -- Trent Edwards orchestrated three scoring drives in the fourth quarter to help the Buffalo Bills erase a nine-point deficit and record a 24-23 comeback victory over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.

Ryan Lindell completed the comeback with a 38-yard field goal as time expired and the Bills improved to 3-0 for the first time since 1992.

"We're sitting 3-0, we're going in the right direction," Edwards said. "I've said before, it goes back to our head coach (Dick Jauron). I think he's one of the best in the business."

Marshawn Lynch rushed for 83 yards and two scores for the Bills, who trailed, 23-14, midway through the final period.

JaMarcus Russell threw one touchdown pass and rushed for another for the Raiders (1-2), who forced three turnovers.

Edwards had struggled throughout much of the first three quarters, but he started the comeback early in the fourth. He led Buffalo on a 96-yard drive that was capped by a 3-yard TD run by Lynch, cutting the deficit to 16-14 with 8:03 remaining.

"We're going to grow up a lot from this win," Edwards said. "For a while there, it wasn't our day. It wasn't going to happen. When we got something going we had a penalty or a fumble. It didn't really seem like everything was going in our direction."

Oakland took the momentum right back, though, as Russell found Johnny Lee Higgins on quick slant and he raced for an 84-yard score to restore the nine-point edge.

"We just got to remember that we've got to finish," said Higgins, who scored his first career TD. "It doesn't matter what happens in the first half, third quarter, we just got to finish. We got to put them away."

Edwards responded with another touchdown drive, connecting with Roscoe Parrish on a 14-yard scoring pass with 4:09 remaining. After the defense forced a three-and-out, Edwards went back to work.

"The thing we did was switch over to a little more of an attack mode is what we call it," Edwards said. "We weren't huddling as much and we're throwing a lot of passes. I think we were wearing down their defensive line a little bit. They weren't bringing their pressure.

"We were able to hit some throws and move the ball down the field, got Marshawn in the end zone and hit Roscoe in the end zone. I think that was a credit to the style of offense we were running."

The second-year quarterback completed his first two passes for first downs and Lynch made a couple of solid rushes to put Buffalo in field goal range, setting up Lindell's heroics.

"There was a timeout called so I just stalled a bit, stayed on the sidelines so I wasn't out there too long," Lindell said. "(I) trusted what I've done, trusted the week I put in. Good snap by Ryan Neill, good hold by Brian Moorman and it went through."

Russell, who completed 9-of-19 passes for 156 yards, had a 1-yard TD run that was set up by an interception from cornerback DeAngelo Hall.

The loss does not bode well for Raiders coach Lane Kiffin, who lacks job security. Multiple reports surfaced last week that claimed Kiffin would be fired by owner Al Davis.

"I wasn't thinking that. I don't even think about that," Kiffin said. "I'm going to watch the film on the way home like I always do after a game, see how we can get better. I can't control other stuff."