Game Recap

Seattle Seahawks at Buffalo Bills

Sunday, September 07, 2008

*Bills rout Seahawks in opener*

ORCHARD PARK, New York (Ticker) -- The Buffalo Bills expect to contend for a playoff this year. So far, so good.

The Bills scored a pair of touchdowns on special teams Sunday, opening the season with an impressive 34-10 romp over the Seattle Seahawks, who are bidding for a fifth straight NFC West title.

It was a disappointing way for Seattle (0-1) to begin its final campaign under coach Mike Holmgren, who has announced that he will retire at the end of the season.

Before stepping away from the game, he may need to work on special teams. The Seahawks surrendered a 63-yard touchdown to Roscoe Parrish on a punt return and also allowed punter Brian Moorman to complete a 19-yard TD pass to defensive end Ryan Denney on a fake field goal.

Buffalo (1-0) never trailed in the game as Trent Edwards overcame a slow start. After completing just one of his first six passes, Edwards finished 19-of-30 for 215 yards and a touchdown.

The Bills grabbed a 7-0 lead on Marshawn Lynch's 21-yard TD run with 2:44 remaining in the first quarter and never looked back. Lynch rushed for 76 yards on 18 carries.

Hit hard by injuries in the preseason, the Seahawks sputtered early, gaining just 71 yards on their first seven possessions, which all ended in punts.

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who missed a month with tightness in his back, looked rusty, completing just 17-of-41 passes for 190 yards with a touchdown and interceptions. Hasselbeck was without injured receivers Bobby Engram and Deion Branch.

After Parrish's punt return made it 14-0, the Seahawks got on the board on Hasselbeck's 20-yard TD pass to Nate Burleson, but Rian Lindell converted field goals of 38 and 35 yards late in the second quarter to give the Bills a 20-7 halftime lead.

Buffalo put away the contest with a pair of scores in a 20-second span late in the third quarter, when the Seahawks unraveled.

Following Denney's touchdown, things got worse for the Seahawks, who fumbled on the ensuing kickoff, and that led to Edwards' 30-yard TD strike to Robert Royal and a 34-10 cushion.