ORCHARD PARK - In today’s dog-eat-dog NFL landscape, it’s tough to feel for a struggling football team no matter how many bad breaks or injuries it might endure.

With the win-now-or-else attitude more prevalent than ever, and a coach’s window for success never more miniscule, such is life in professional football.

Make no mistake, the better team won Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Bills quarterback Trent Edwards showed poise and great decision-making in crafting yet another fourth quarter comeback, one that gave Buffalo its best start since 1992.

But afterwards it was hard not to sympathize with Oakland head coach Lane Kiffin, whose job has been on the line following a season-opening 41-14 loss to Denver.

His team clearly outplayed Buffalo through the first three quarters, and had a pair of two possession leads in the final quarter.

The Raiders seemingly had it won after Johnnie Lee Higgins’ 84-yard touchdown put them up 23-14 with 6:23 left. They’d been in control nearly all game and their defense had been playing great.

But Buffalo found a way. The poor and dysfunctional Raiders, meanwhile, fell to 1-2, leaving many to wonder how much longer Kiffin has on the Oakland sideline.

“I’m not going to think about that,” he said, regarding his status as head coach. “What’s that going to do? I’m going to watch the film on the way home, like I always do, and see how we can get better.”

The Raiders’ second-year man was stoic as he left the field, shaking Bills coach Dick Jauron’s hand, head held high on his way through the tunnel.

But this had to have stung Kiffin hard, especially amid all the speculation he would be out following another defeat.

“It’s just real unfortunate for our guys,” the 33-year-old Kiffin said. “Our guys played really hard, but you win the game in the fourth quarter.

“We talked about it all week, it doesn’t matter what you do in the first three quarters, you got to finish it in the fourth quarter. For a second there it looked like we were doing that.”

Oakland’s defense certainly did its part, forcing three Buffalo turnovers while pressuring Edwards all game long. The Bills never had good field position, starting five drives inside their own 13-yard line.

Also take into account Buffalo’s drive-killing penalties and dropped passes, and it was a recipe for a Raiders victory and new life for Kiffin.

But Edwards and the Bills were able to overcome all that, scoring on their last three possessions to snatch the win away.

Oakland gave all it could, Kiffin said, but that’s just how things can go on the NFL carousel.

“I don’t think it was an effort thing,” he said. “We just have to do a better job of coaching and playing. There was never a sense that the game was over (after going up 23-14). We pulled everyone aside and said this game is a long way from over, that we still have to finish them off.

It’s just Buffalo happens to be playing like a team that won’t allow itself to be finished off.

Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell, who finished 9-of-19 for 156 yards and a touchdown, understands Kiffin’s frustration.

The second-year signal caller admitted the offense could have done more down the stretch to help keep the lead.

“We could have put the defense in a better position if we had gotten a first down or two,” Russell admitted. We just did a bad job of finishing today.”

It’s Russell’s production that likely will determine Kiffin’s fate this season.

“I feel bad for myself,” he admitted afterwards. “And for Lane. He’s a part of the organization and the team so why wouldn’t I?”

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