ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Trent Edwards' game isn't defined by a particularly great throwing arm or by particularly nimble feet.
His game is defined by his intelligence -- by his thorough study and understanding of the opponent, by his field vision, and, most of all, by his decision-making. Edwards is all about quickly and accurately reading the coverage and quickly and accurately getting the ball out of his hands and into the hands of a receiver.
So when he took that hard hit from Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson two weeks ago, when the back of his helmet slammed to the ground and he suffered a scary-looking concussion, the immediate concern inside the Bills' locker room and among Buffalo fans everywhere was that the young quarterback's greatest asset might somehow be compromised.
With Edwards missing for most of the game and J.P. Losman making repeated mistakes in his place, the Bills were overwhelmed by the Cardinals, 41-17. Losman wasn't the sole reason for the debacle, but the outcome did provide a vivid picture of just how bad things could be for the Bills without the man who had helped guide them to a surprising 4-0 start.
By comparison, Sunday's 23-14 victory over the Chargers -- a bizarre game delayed by nearly 15 minutes because of a power outage caused by party balloons becoming entangled in power lines just outside of Ralph Wilson Stadium -- was an indication of just how far the Bills can go with Edwards at the controls.
If the widely held view that the 3-4 Chargers are/were an elite team without an elite record was accurate, then the 5-1 Bills legitimately belong in that elite category as well. And the main reason is Edwards, who was the biggest difference-maker against San Diego by completing 25 of 30 passes for 261 yards and a touchdown and no interceptions.
Break out the party balloons!
It was a typical Edwards game -- smart, efficient, effective -- and it proved to be extraordinary as his completion percentage of 83.33 broke Jim Kelly's franchise record of 82.16. He didn't let anything bother him. Not the first concussion of his 24 years on the planet, which caused him to miss the first of the Bills' two weeks of practice during their bye. Not the stadium's intermittent loss of power, which directly resulted in his being flagged for a delay-of-game penalty because the play clock wasn't working (San Diego's Philip Rivers also got the same penalty). Not the fact his starting center, Melvin Fowler, was sidelined with an injury.
"That was really impressive, wasn't it?" Bills coach Dick Jauron said of Edwards, sounding as if he was sharing an observation while watching the game with a bunch of friends. "The guy is just a good football player -- a very, very good football player."
Chargers strong safety Clinton Hart was extremely impressed by his first close-up view of the second-year quarterback. Like other San Diego defenders, he felt a combination of frustration and helplessness as Edwards completed 14 of his first 15 throws and went 19-for-21 through the first half.
"He's precise, he's on point," Hart said. "He managed the ball well. He did a good job of getting the ball to the receivers. My hat's off to him."
"I thought Trent Edwards went out there and played a great game," Chargers defensive tackle Luis Castillo said. "He got rid of the ball fast at times and made it hard for us to get to him."
That was the story of the game and could very well prove to be the story of what is looking more and more like a Bills run to the postseason. Generally speaking, Edwards is tough to sack. The Chargers, who entered the game with 14 sacks, never got him to the ground with the ball. He has only been dumped 11 times in six games, and for the most part doesn't take a lot of hits in the pocket.
With Edwards upright, the Bills can take full advantage of one of the league's best receivers, Lee Evans, who finished Sunday's game with eight receptions and a touchdown. They also can utilize a pair of solid pass-catching running backs, Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson, and get maximum production from journeyman tight end Robert Royal.
The Arizona blowout notwithstanding, Buffalo also looks to have a playoff-quality defense. The Bills intercepted Rivers once and forced him to fumble twice.
When it comes to special teams, the Bills remain the league's gold standard.
During the offseason, Buffalo safety Donte Whitner guaranteed the Bills would reach the postseason. It was a bold call given the team's eight-year postseason drought.
On Sunday, Whitner was feeling even more confident about his prediction than he had been after the 4-0 start.
"I'm not a foolish guy," he said. "I'm not going to guarantee something if I don't believe in it, and if the guys on this team don't believe in it. I made (the guarantee) because of the participation that we had in (offseason workouts) and the knowledge that guys have."
Especially the guy playing quarterback.
"He's got a bright future in this league," Hart said of Edwards. "Hopefully, we see him later on."
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