ALAMEDA, Calif. -- If the Oakland Raiders thought the worst
was over after getting trounced by San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson
a week ago, Willis McGahee has a few words for them.
Asked earlier this week to compare himself to Tomlinson -- who
last week became just the seventh player ever to score touchdowns
by running, catching and throwing all in a single game -- the
Buffalo Bills' running back was quick to respond.
"I'm the best back, case closed," said McGahee, whose Bills
(3-3) play in Oakland Sunday. "I've always thought I was the best
back, from jump street."
Tomlinson is third in the NFL with 652 yards rushing and 10
touchdowns. Against the Raiders last Sunday, he accounted for three
scores while rushing for 140 yards and catching two passes for 39
yards. He also threw a 4-yard touchdown pass.
Oakland, which went into the game against San Diego with the
league's 11th-ranked run defense, plummeted to 22nd following the
27-14 loss to the Chargers. The Raiders are 28th overall
defensively.
Tomlinson was the first running back this season to gain 100
yards or more against the Raiders. McGahee, fourth in the NFL with
604 yards, has topped the 100-yard mark in three of Buffalo's six
games this season, gaining a career-high 143 yards in last week's
win over the New York Jets.
Buffalo is 9-1 in games in which McGahee runs for at least 100
yards.
The Raiders (1-4) are simply looking for anything to build upon.
With injured wide receiver Randy Moss doubtful to play against
Buffalo and with a running game that has gone nowhere this season,
Oakland's defense will have to shoulder more of the burden against
the Bills.
"He's a guy we have to stop," Raiders linebacker Danny Clark
said of McGahee. "We've got to eliminate him altogether for us to
be successful. We want to limit his confidence as much as
possible."
When the two teams met in 2004, McGahee was only a bit player in
Buffalo's offense and lost 3 yards on two carries. When Travis
Henry was traded to Tennessee in the offseason, the door was open
for McGahee and he's stormed through it and opposing defenses with
equal ease.
Coming off the best game of his young career, McGahee is ready
to build on his success at the Raiders' expense.
"I'm not worried about what they're going to do," McGahee
said. "They better worry about what I'm going to do. They've got a
lot of good players. I'm going to have my hands full but I'm going
to still bring it regardless of who's on the other sides."
Oakland defensive end Bobby Hamilton said McGahee deserves to
talk confidently but hopes it serves as motivation for the
struggling Raiders.
"Who wouldn't feel good about himself with 600 yards?"
Hamilton said. "I like a guy who has confidence like that. At the
same time, that should put a chip on our shoulder. 'Did you hear
what that back is saying?' We've got to show him what we're all
about. He might be the best but not on us."