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PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : RAIDERS : For Them, Grass Is Always Greener

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Some have blamed the Raiders’ recent problems on cold weather and lack of leadership, but another factor might be artificial turf. Including their loss at Buffalo in the 1991 AFC championship game, the Raiders have won only four of their last 14 games on artificial fields.

If three victories at the Seattle Kingdom were taken away, the Raiders, who play at Buffalo on Sunday, would be 1-10.

“It’s just one of those things in that we haven’t won on artificial turf,” said fullback Steve Smith. “I don’t think its because we aren’t a good team on that type of surface. We just haven’t played well on it.”

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Smith said the key for the Raiders on Sunday will be their individual execution.

“Everyone has to do their own jobs and know what their jobs are supposed to be first,” Smith said. “For us not to worry about the next guy’s job, just worry about getting your job done. We just have to play cohesively as a team.”

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Offensive lineman Greg Skrepenak (knee) and running back Napoleon McCallum (appendectomy) will be sidelined Sunday. . . . The Bills have defeated the Raiders in their last three meetings at Buffalo, but the Raiders won at the Coliseum, 20-3, last season.

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