The Buffalo Bills are locked in a 13-13 battle with the Raiders in Las Vegas, but they are going to have to finish this one without safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson after he got himself ejected with just 14 seconds left in the first half. It was a wild sequence that totally swung the momentum right before the break. Gardner-Johnson was seen jawing with Raiders players Tyler Linderbaum and Brock Bowers, and then the unthinkable happened: he spit in their direction. That’s a straight-up flagrant foul, and the officials wasted no time in tossing him from the game.
The Ejection Fallout and Bills’ Early Scoring
That 14-yard penalty, which was half the distance to the goal line, put the Raiders in prime position. Matt Gay then stepped up and nailed a 27-yard field goal on the very last play of the half to tie the game at 13-13. Talk about a brutal way to head into halftime! Not only did Gardner-Johnson’s actions cost his team a potential lead, but the NFL could also be looking at suspending him for next week’s game. That’s a huge loss for Buffalo’s defense. Before all that drama, the Bills had actually put points on the board on their first three drives. Tyler Bass kicked field goals from 44 and 28 yards, capping off drives of 30 and 58 yards. Their only touchdown of the half came on an 85-yard drive that took nine plays, with Josh Allen hitting Khalil Shakir for a 9-yard pass.
Bills and Raiders Offense Trading Blows
At the half, the Bills have barely outgained the Raiders, holding a slight edge with 176 total yards to Las Vegas’s 170. Josh Allen’s been decent, completing 12 of 16 passes for 144 yards and that one touchdown, but the Raiders defense has gotten to him twice for sacks. James Cook has eight carries for 36 yards on the ground. On the other side, Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins is 12-of-17 for 126 yards. Ashton Jeanty has been a dual threat for them, picking up 27 yards and a touchdown on eight carries, plus adding four catches for 36 yards. Tight end Michael Mayer has also been busy, hauling in five catches for 52 yards.
Now, with the Bills down a key defensive piece and tied up on the road, the second half in Las Vegas is going to be absolutely wild. Can they pull this out without Gardner-Johnson, or will this ejection prove to be too much to overcome? We’re about to find out if the Bills can step up big time in the final two quarters.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
Leave a Reply