Bills-Cardinals Preview

SCOUTING REPORT

Edwards isn't ready for shootout with WarnerThis should be an outstanding contest between a team with its back against the wall and one of the league's hottest and most surprising clubs. With their best start in years, the Bills are riding high -- as many believed the Cardinals might be at this point in the season. Arizona is reeling after two tough road looses, but coach Ken Whisenhunt should have his team ready in what figures to be Buffalo's stiffest test yet.

· Full Scouting Report

Matchup
	W-L	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF
BUF	7-9	336	342	3-5	4-4	0-6	5-7
ARI	9-7	427	426	6-2	3-5	6-0	7-5
· Complete Standings

Individual Leaders

Buffalo Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Edward... 60.2 1170 6 7 Fitzpa... 51.9 659 3 6

Arizona Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Warner 67.5 2718 20 11 Leinar... 68.0 119 0 1

Buffalo Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Jackso... 128 528 4.1 0 Lynch 87 272 3.1 1

Arizona Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Wells 100 469 4.7 4 Highto... 102 430 4.2 5

Buffalo Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Owens 35 563 16.1 2 Evans 28 396 14.1 5

Arizona Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Fitzge... 71 792 11.2 9 Boldin 51 612 12.0 2

Full Player Stats: Buffalo | Arizona

TEAM AVERAGES & NFL RANKS
TEAM OFFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Total Yards	BUF	305.0
	ARI	366.0
Yards Passing	BUF	190.0
	ARI	292.1
Yards Rushing	BUF	115.1
	ARI	73.6
TEAM DEFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Yards Allowed	BUF	326.1
	ARI	331.5
Pass Yds Allowed	BUF	204.4
	ARI	221.3
Rush Yds Allowed	BUF	121.6
	ARI	110.3

HEAD TO HEAD MATCHUPS (SINCE 2001)
Series tied 1-1
Oct 31, 2004	BUF 38, @ARI 14

It's been four years since the Buffalo Bills last had a winning season, and even longer since they reached the playoffs. History says a victory on Sunday over the Arizona Cardinals all but guarantees those streaks will end.

Off to their best start in 16 years, the surprising Bills look to keep their perfect record intact when they visit a Cardinals team hoping to avoid a third straight loss.

While the Bills (4-0) were expected to make progress this year following three straight losing seasons, a perfect record after four games seemed unlikely considering they hadn't started that well since 1992 during the glory days of Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas and Bruce Smith.

Buffalo went 11-5 that season and reached the Super Bowl for the third time in four years.

"We still don't feel like we're anywhere near our potential," quarterback Trent Edwards said. "We're going in the right direction. But we still have a lot left to give. So I don't know how good we can be."

Seeking their first playoff appearance since 1999 in an AFC East that for the first time in a while seems wide open, the Bills are 4-0 for the sixth time in franchise history. Only the 1975 club failed to reach the playoffs while the 1980 and 1991 teams began a franchise-best 5-0 en route to the postseason.

Since the merger in 1970 with the AFL, 59 teams have started 5-0 with only four missing the playoffs.

Clearly, Buffalo has been helped by a favorable early schedule with its four opponents -- Seattle, Jacksonville, Oakland and St. Louis -- a combined 4-11 this season. Each team was dealing with either a key injury or an unsettled coaching situation when facing the Bills.

While a relatively easy schedule has played a role, the manner in which Buffalo has won bodes well for the rest of the season.

Last Sunday's 31-14 victory over the winless Rams was the Bills' third consecutive fourth-quarter comeback as they trailed 14-13 before Jabari Greer's 33-yard interception return sparked an 18-point fourth-quarter surge.

That paled in comparison to the previous week against Oakland when Buffalo scored 17 points in the fourth quarter to erase two nine-point deficits in a 24-23 win. The run of comebacks began Sept. 14 at Jacksonville with the Bills scoring 10 unanswered points in the final four minutes.

"I think it's done wonders for our confidence," Greer said. "The way that we've come together as a team, I think it gives us momentum and gives us belief in ourselves to know we can win when the game's not necessarily all in our control."

Perhaps the biggest factor in Buffalo's start has been Edwards' play in his first full season as a starter. The second-year pro has the NFL's third-best passer rating in the fourth quarter (136.6), trailing only Brett Favre of the New York Jets and San Diego's Philip Rivers. Edwards has helped Buffalo score 45 points in the final quarter this season after it scored 64 fourth-quarter points in all of 2007.

Improving their defense also was imperative for the Bills to return to the playoffs, and through four games that unit has been far better than last season. Buffalo leads the league in third-down conversion percentage (19.2) and is limiting opponents to 15.8 points per game -- a six-point decrease from 2007.

That unit will have to compensate for the absence of starting cornerback Terrence McGee, who suffered a knee injury against St. Louis. Originally listed as doubtful on Friday, McGee didn't make the trip to Arizona after missing all three practices this week.

Rookie first-round pick Leodis McKelvin and Ashton Youboty will split time opposite Greer. McKelvin also will handle kickoff returns in place of McGee.

Sunday also will see Jauron's team facing a short-handed opponent. Arizona (2-2) will be without two-time Pro Bowl receiver Anquan Boldin, who suffered a fractured sinus as a result of a vicious, helmet-to-helmet hit from Jets' safety Eric Smith.

Boldin, the NFL leader in TD receptions (5), is out indefinitely following surgery on Thursday.

The Cardinals will be happy to return home after losing games to Washington and the Jets on an East Coast trip that cost them a chance to start 3-1 for the first time since moving to Arizona following the 1987 season.

Sunday's 56-35 loss to New York was particularly disappointing for the Cardinals and quarterback Kurt Warner, who threw three interceptions and lost three fumbles. Warner, though, didn't get much protection as he was sacked five times.

"It's a team sport so it's the team's fault," coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "Obviously we did not protect Kurt well enough. But there is enough blame to go around for everybody."

Arizona's defense also needs to shoulder much of the blame after Favre burned it for six touchdowns.

"We gave him five of those six touchdowns," safety Antrel Rolle said. "It's nothing we didn't work on in practice. I need to communicate better. We need to be on the same page. There were a few times we weren't on the same page and it cost us."

The Bills have won four straight against the Cardinals, averaging 32.8 points.

Source: Martz interested in Bills coaching job

Finally, a Super Bowl coach has surfaced with genuine interest in becoming the Bills' next head coach. Mike Martz wants the gig, a league source told ESPN.com.

Source: Cards to work out Ks Nugent, Bryant

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Cardinals QB Warner practices, expects to play

Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner went through a full practice Wednesday and says he expects to play Sunday at Tennessee.

Bills' Wood still recuperating from broken leg

Bills rookie guard Eric Wood continues to recuperate in a Jacksonville hospital three days after breaking two bones in his left leg.

Kim brings new tips to Bills' defenders

The Buffalo Bills have a martial arts expert working with their players this week.

Bills' Maybin offers path to success

Buffalo Bills rookie defensive end Aaron Maybin asked a question of about 180 high school football players getting ready to practice at the team's fieldhouse Tuesday evening.

BILLS: Road back for Bowen nearly complete

The road has always been long for Alvin Bowen. Originally, Bowen's football odyssey took him from New Jersey to a Kansas junior college, then later to Iowa State - a long way from a New York City suburb.

BILLS: Corner not afraid of competition

Good thing Reggie Corner isn't afraid to come back clawing and scratching after getting picked on.

To Help at Receiver, Buffalo Adds Fire to Ice

Count Lee Evans as a fan of Terrell Owens . With teams preparing for the coming season, keep up with all the off-season news on the Times's pro football blog.

Sendlein played through pain in '08

It was surprising this off-season when the Cardinals opted not to try and upgrade their center position, given the occasional struggles of starter Lyle Sendlein in 2008.

Breaston blooms in Boldin's absence

Cardinals receiver Steve Breaston, seen here in action against the 49ers last season, is taking advantage of Anquan Boldin's absence in summer workouts.

The Risk Remains

Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald breaks the huddle during 11-on-11 drills Monday after coming down awkwardly on a catch earlier in the workout.

Fitzgerald OK after awkward catch

For a minute or two, it looked as if the first day of June would bring gloom to the Cardinals.

Boldin hires Condon as agent

Receiver Anquan Boldin has hired Tom Condon as his agent, replacing Drew Rosenhaus, who was fired last week.