KEYS TO THE GAME: The Cardinals have allowed 17 sacks over the past
two games and an offense averaging 2.7 yards per carry is down to its
third-string running back. This is the week for Buffalo’s maligned
defense to stuff the run and create impact plays in the pass rush,
although it remains to be seen how the team reacts after spending the
week in Phoenix following Sunday’s loss at San Francisco. The Bills’
offense is struggling with RBs Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller less than
100 percent and QB Ryan Fitzpatrick a turnover factory when forced into a
one-dimensional attack. Arizona’s fast and attacking defense should
control field position.
FAST FACTS: Fitzgerald has a 58.8 passer rating when the Bills are
trailing this season. … The Cardinals have an eight-game home winning
streak.
PERSONNEL NEWS
BILLS
–LB Nigel Bradham, a fourth-round pick out of Florida State, is still
being considered a potential starter at strong-side linebacker Sunday
in Arizona. The team is looking over all options in the wake of last
Sunday’s ugly 45-3 loss in San Francisco, in which the Bills allowed 621
yards.
–OL Reggie Wells, who was signed to the active roster as an emergency
replacement, is expected to be active for Sunday’s game at Arizona. The
team is dealing with injuries to three offensive linemen, and Wells is a
10-year veteran with 91 career starts.
–WR/QB Brad Smith is slowly being worked into the offense. He had a
35-yard run from the Wildcat formation against San Francisco.
–WR Stevie Johnson has caught a pass in 37 consecutive games, tying
Marlin Briscoe for seventh-longest streak in team history. However, he’s
had a quiet season thus far with 21 catches for 234 yards and three
scores.
–RB C.J. Spiller still leads the team with 365 yards rushing, but his
workload has decreased dramatically following a shoulder/chest injury.
He should be closer to 100 percent heading into Sunday’s game at
Arizona.
–PK Rian Lindell had the team’s only points in a 45-3 loss to San
Francisco. Lindell has attempted just two field goals this year, making
both, giving him 900 career points with the Bills. Steve Christie holds
the team record with 1,011.
INJURY IMPACT
–DE Mario Williams is now showing up on the team’s injury report with
a wrist issue even though it hasn’t prevented him from practicing
fully. Williams hurt his wrist before the season began, and the Bills
didn’t see the need to list him. However, they are doing it now after
issues were raised that they were hiding Williams’ injury, which is
against NFL rules.
–RG Chad Rinehart, who has a calf injury, is looking like a game-time
decision for Sunday’s game at Arizona. The staff was hoping he could
get in some quality work before week’s end, but it’s day to day.
–OL Sam Young could get the start at right guard Sunday at Arizona as
an emergency replacement. The team is dealing with injuries to three
players; Young began practicing at right guard this week.
–FS Jairus Byrd, who was coming off a hip pointer, suffered a chest
injury in the loss at San Francisco but is practicing on a limited basis
in preparation for the Cardinals. That’s a good sign he’ll be able to
go.
–DT Kyle Williams is on the injury report with an ankle ailment, but
he’s expected to play Sunday at Arizona. That’s good news for a defense
that allowed 310 yards passing and 311 yards rushing in a loss to San
Francisco and needs its emotional leader on the field.
CARDINALS
–CB William Gay likely will return to the starting lineup this week
after being demoted a week ago. Greg Toler suffered a hamstring injury
while giving up a long touchdown and has not practiced this week.
–RB LaRod Stephens-Howling is expected to start against the Bills. RBs Beanie Wells and Ryan Williams are out with injuries.
–WR Michael Floyd’s playing time has increased the last two weeks,
but his production hasn’t. Floyd dropped critical passes in both games.
–QB John Skelton could be the backup to Kevin Kolb against the Bills.
Skelton hasn’t been active since suffering a sprained ankle in the
season opener. He estimates he’s at 90 percent.
INJURY IMPACT
–CB Michael Adams hasn’t practiced this week because of a hamstring
injury. If he can’t play, rookie Jamell Fleming would be the nickel
back.
–LB O’Brien Schofield didn’t practice Thursday because of knee
soreness. Schofield has missed parts of previous practices but has
played in all five games.
–LB Quentin Groves, the backup to starter O’Brien Schofield, hasn’t
practiced this week because of a hamstring injury. Groves didn’t
practice last week, either, but he played against the Rams.
–FB Anthony Sherman hasn’t practiced this week because of a sore knee. Reagan Maui’a will replace him if Sherman can’t play.
–TE Todd Heap remains limited in practice with a sore knee. It seems doubtful he will play Sunday against the Bills.
–DE Darnell Dockett participated in just 19 plays last week, but he
should be more active this week. Dockett has had extra time to rest his
sore hamstring.
INSIDE THE CAMPS
BILLS
Things have gone from bad to worse for the Bills, who face the
Cardinals on Sunday in Phoenix while dealing with a rash of injuries.
The latest bad news on the injury front involves defensive end Mark
Anderson, who signed a four-year, $27 million contract in the offseason.
He’ll undergo left knee surgery to repair a ligament damaged in last
week’s 45-3 loss to San Francisco.
“He’s going to be out,” coach Chan Gailey said. “I don’t know how
long. We’ll have to wait and see. They’re going to tell after they go in
and look at it.”
Gailey expressed hope that Anderson wouldn’t miss the remainder of
the season but it’s clear Anderson will be out for an extended period of
time. It’s a major loss for a team that wasn’t generating a consistent
pass rush with Anderson, who had 10 sacks for New England last season.
Anderson has four tackles and one sack.
Mario Williams, who was handed a six-year, $100 million deal in
March, has 13 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Buffalo ranks near the bottom of
most defensive categories, and it allowed a franchise-record 621 yards
to the 49ers.
The Bills have just three healthy defensive ends for the Arizona
game: Chris Kelsay, Kyle Moore and Williams. They have just three
healthy defensive tackles (Marcell Dareus, Kyle Williams, Alex
Carrington), as Spencer Johnson is hobbled with a bad ankle. There are
two defensive linemen on the practice squad they could activate: Jarron
Gilbert and Jay Ross. The team is less inclined to do that and would
like to get through the Cardinals game without making a roster move.
CARDINALS
The Cardinals are in search of one thing they can consistently do well on offense.
Run the ball? Sure, they would accept that.
Pass the ball? That, too.
As it stands now, the team doesn’t have any one thing it can rely
upon. The running game has been worse than the passing game, and it’s
not as if the Cardinals are gaining huge chunks of yardage through the
air.
They have not had 300 yards of total offense in any of the five games
this season. The offensive line, which played decently the first three
weeks, has been terrible in that last two.
Kevin Kolb has been sacked 17 times, and the team is averaging 2.7 yards per rushing attempt.
Now, the Cardinals must try to develop a ground game without their
two top running backs. Starter Beanie Wells is out for at least five
more weeks with a turf toe. Backup Ryan Williams is out for the season
after suffering a shoulder injury against the Rams last week.
The Cardinals are 4-1, thanks to an above-average defense and an offense that produced in a timely fashion over the first month.
The offense needs to get back to its September form. It missed
chances for a handful of big plays early against the Rams on Oct. 4. St.
Louis made those types of plays, took the lead, and then just teed off
on Kolb, who had to throw 50 times.
This a winning formula for the Cardinals 27- Bills 13
Rick Stewart/Getty Images
Mario Williams chasing Alex Smith.
