The Oakland Raiders had a rocky start to their two-week road swing, falling to the Buffalo Bills 34-14 at New Era Field.

The stout Buffalo defense made life difficult for Derek Carr and Co., all afternoon, forcing several turnovers throughout the game.

The Silver and Black will now fly from Upstate New York to Florida for the week, but before the team takes off, here are four, quick observations from the loss to the Bills.

1. The Raiders offense enjoyed some early success

In the wind, rain, and overall less-than-ideal weather of Upstate New York, the Oakland Raiders took the opening possession 81 yards, capping off the 13-play drive with a one-yard touchdown run by fullback/running back Jamize Olawale.

While the Silver and Black weren't able to put up any more points in the first half, that first drive of the afternoon demonstrated the type of offense that the Raider have when they're firing on all cylinders.

With Derek Carr running the show, getting a plethora of his playmakers involved out wide, the Silver and Black are a handful for any defense, and the first drive of the afternoon in Buffalo showed just that.

2. There were some fresh faces in the secondary

Depth is the name of the game in the NFL.

As unfortunate as it is, injuries are a part of football, and having enough capable players on the roster to step up when their number is called is paramount to success.

With Gareon Conley and David Amerson unable to suit up against the Bills, third-year cornerback Dexter McDonald got the start in the Raiders base defense, playing on the left side alongside TJ Carrie on the right.

He wasn't the only fresh face inserted the starting lineup either as rookie safety Shalom Luani got his first NFL start with Karl Joseph on the mend.

Both McDonald and Luani played extensively, and while the Raiders eventually fell to the Bills, that duo stepped up and performed admirably.

3. Some old friends said hello

Roster turnover is the name of the game in the NFL, but it seems like there are even more connections than average between the Raiders and the Bills.

From Lorenzo Alexander, to Taiwan Jones, and even Andre Holmes, there certainly isn't a lack of crossover between the two squads on opposite coasts.

And Sunday afternoon, those old friends made the most of their matchup against the Silver and Black, Andre Holmes in particular.

The athletic wide receiver scored the first touchdown of the day for the Bills – an acrobatic six-yard grab in the second quarter – and also made his presence felt on special teams, forcing a fumble that the Raiders eventually recovered.

In total, Holmes finished his day with three catches for 51 yards.

4. The Bills won the turnover battle

Coming into Sunday's game, the Bills had a pretty clear recipe for success; force turnovers, play stout defense, and take advantage of your opportunities on offense.

And Sunday afternoon, they executed that plan to perfection, forcing four, crucial turnovers en route to their Week 8 win over the Silver and Black.

When all was said and done, and the Bills had handed the Raiders their fifth loss of 2017, the Buffalo defense had forced four turnovers – three interceptions and one fumble recovery – which proved to be too much for the Raiders to overcome.

Turnovers have the ability to dramatically shift the course of a ballgame, and that was indeed the case Sunday afternoon at New Era Field.