Trent Edwards, Buffalo Bills Suffer in Big Loss

The Bills couldn't pull off any fourth quarter magic this time.

As expected, they were unable to keep up with a powerful Arizona offense that walked all over the Bills. Kurt Warner completed 33 of his 42 pass attempts for 250 yards and two touchdowns. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, there was no way the Bills could catch up.

They were also missing a key factor in an attempt to make a fourth straight fourth quarter comeback. Trent Edwards was lost to a concussion during Buffalo's first offensive series, forcing J.P. Losman to throw for the game's entirety. 

Losman was 15 for 21, throwing for 220 yards and one touchdown, an 87-yard bomb to Lee Evans. Losman also ran for a touchdown in the red zone, using a draw play to put the Bills at the lowest deficit they faced in the entire game. What Losman lacked, however, was the fourth quarter magic that Edwards has shown three weeks in a row.

It also didn't help to have Terrence McGee out with a knee injury. Not only did the defense suffer, but the special teams suffered. Also, a blow to the Bills special teams is Roscoe Parrish's thumb injury, which is keeping him out of action for at least the next three weeks.

All of Arizona's first half drives resulted in scores, the first three being touchdowns. The Bills' offense actually kept the game close until the start of the second half. 

Another weak area for the Bills, in this game, was the their third down defense. Despite being ranked first in the league in third down percentage, the Bills were not able to defend the Cardinals on third down.

The Cardinals converted nine third downs, converting for their first six in a row to start the game. The Cardinals offense was also more consistent, getting more than double the first downs the Bills had. 

A key play that was probably the turning point of the game was in the third quarter, with the Cardinals leading the Bills by seven. It was fourth down, and the Cardinals were going for a field goal. The Bills' special teams committed an offsides, causing the Cardinals to get a first down in the red zone, resulting in an Arizona touchdown rather than a field goal. 

The Bills head into the bye week with a 4-1 record. After the bye, the Bills face a true test in the San Diego Chargers. Whether or not the Bills bounce back from this loss in that game will be a key factor in determining if they'll be contenders this year.

UPDATE:  Trent Edwards' concussion will be dealt with on a day-to-day basis, says Coach Dick Jauron.  Edwards felt fine after the game.