Billy Buffalo
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- Mar 16, 2019
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USA TODAY Sports
In a two-week span in March, the Bills traded for Stefon Diggs and signed Josh Norman as a free agent. The moves proved huge Sunday in the team’s 30-23 victory over the Raiders.
The Bills moved to 4-0, while the Raiders fell to 2-2.
Norman, who signed one-year, $6 million deal, missed the first three games on injured reserve. They activated him Saturday but didn’t expect him to play as much as he did.
He had to take over for Levi Wallace in the first half after Wallace left the game with a left ankle injury.
With 12:39 remaining, the Bills led only 23-16 and the Raiders were driving. Derek Carr completed a 4-yard pass to Darren Waller to the Buffalo 32 before Norman forced the fumble and recovered it.
On the next snap, Josh Allen went deep to Diggs, whose 49-yard catch to the Las Vegas 11-yard line set up Devin Singletary‘s 2-yard touchdown run three plays later.
Quinton Jefferson had a strip-sack of Carr on the Raiders’ next possession, denying Las Vegas a chance to get back in it until only 1:29 remained on a Carr-to-Nelson Agholor touchdown. It was too late as Jaquan Johnson recovered the “watermelon” onside kick made famous by Cowboys kicker Greg Zuerlein.
Diggs, acquired in a trade with the Vikings, made six catches for 115 yards.
Allen, who briefly left to have his left shoulder examined but didn’t miss a snap, went 24-of-34 for 288 yards and two touchdowns.
Carr went 32-of-44 for 311 yards and two touchdowns. He left the field slowly after his last play of the day, which was the touchdown to Agholor.