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Two games, two impressive performances for the Bills.

Skeptics can point to the Bills' victories over short-handed opponents, but they went on the road Sunday and came from behind to beat a team that was considered a preseason Super Bowl contender.

There's something to be said for that.

The Bills' offense came through with 10 points in the fourth quarter to win. QB Trent Edwards hit rookie WR James Hardy for the go-ahead touchdown with 4:10 to play. Rian Lindell kicked a 45-yard field goal with 29 seconds left to ice it.

The Bills are 2-0 and have a favorable schedule ahead of them. After opening with two respected foes in the Seahawks and Jaguars, they'll host the Raiders next week, visit the Rams and then visit the Cardinals before their bye in Week 6.

The Bills won't play a divisional game until Week 8. They'll face the Patriots in Week 10 (on the road) and Week 17 (at home).

Take out quarterback scrambles and the Bills' defense limited the Jags to 67 rushing yards. David Garrard passed for only 165 yards and threw an interception. The Bills had two sacks, forced two fumbles and recovered one.

Buffalo's offense was gritty again. Not a lot of flash from bruising RB Marshawn Lynch, who pounded out 59 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. QB Trent Edwards was efficient, throwing only five incomplete passes while covering 239 yards.

Go ahead and start talking about the Bills and how much damage they might be able to do.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Randy Moss, engulfed by reporters and cameras, stood in front of his locker stall and delivered a message to the world.

His New England Patriots went into the Meadowlands as underdogs on Sunday. They didn't have quarterback Tom Brady. Many observers figured the game would signal a power shift in the AFC East because the New York Jets supposedly had become the team to beat.

	Rich Kane/US Presswire
	New England quarterback Matt Cassel didn't make any major mistakes in a solid first start for the Patriots.

"I don't think there's one person in my face with a microphone that picked us to win today," Moss said with a gloating smile. "So I'm going to go ahead and end [the interview]. The Patriots, two and oh. We got one in the division. So all you haters, keep hating. We coming."

The Patriots beat the Jets 19-10 to run their regular-season streak to 21 victories. They've also beaten the Jets eight straight times in the Meadowlands. They will play host to the Miami Dolphins in Foxborough, Mass., next week.

Although the Patriots proved predictions usually are worthless in the NFL, it seems a safe bet they'll be 3-0 going into their bye week. The Dolphins are 0-2 after getting dismantled by the Arizona Cardinals.

The Patriots also have the San Francisco 49ers and St. Louis Rams among their first seven opponents. Another lopsided record should be expected heading into November.

Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel wasn't sensational, but he was good enough in his first start since high school. He completed 16 of 23 throws for 165 yards and no touchdowns. He didn't throw any interceptions. He had an 89.9 passer rating.

Cassel's teammates were unanimous in their praise of No. 16, who was unflappable all afternoon.

"He took us to the promised land in Week 2, and that's a victory," cornerback Ellis Hobbs said. "Every week you look forward to a victory. How you get there, you never know. He's a leader over there now. He's a guy we're looking toward to make plays on offense."

Said New England Patriots defensive end Richard Seymour: "You want your quarterback to play with emotion, but the emotion didn't play him."

Cassel bemoaned some missed opportunities and a few erroneous reads. But he made one less major mistake than future Hall of Famer Brett Favre did for the Jets.

"Let's hope that a lot of quarterbacks do that throughout the rest of the year," Cassel said of Favre's interception. "He's a great quarterback, and it was fun to compete against him. I remember watching him growing up. It'll be a memorable first start for me."

Favre's glaring error happened in the third quarter, with the Patriots ahead 6-3. He was intercepted by safety Brandon Meriweather at the Jets 24-yard line.

"I saw the guy," Favre said of Meriweather. "Maybe I got a little greedy."

Six plays later, the Patriots scored their only touchdown, a Sammy Morris leap into the end zone for a comfortable 13-3 lead with 6:20 left in the third quarter.

The Jets scored their only touchdown on their first drive of the fourth quarter. Favre completed all six of his passes for 51 yards, including a touch pass to a wide-open Chansi Stuckey from the 2.

But one impressive drive wasn't going to be enough. Not nearly.

The Patriots were the better team in so many ways. The Jets wasted seven points with a missed 31-yard Jay Feely field-goal attempt on the opening drive and their inability to punch the ball into the end zone after getting first-and-goal from the Patriots' 3-yard line in the second quarter. They settled for a field goal.

New England's special teams were dominant. Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski not only drilled four field goals, but he also recorded five touchbacks on kickoffs.

The Jets' average start was on their 21-yard line. The Patriots' average start was on their 42.

The Patriots also were more disciplined. They had two penalties for 10 insignificant yards.

The Jets committed six penalties for 60 yards and had a couple more declined. Their costly calls included 12 men on the field, a pass from beyond scrimmage, roughing the passer and a facemask on a Cassel scramble for no gain.

"I think we as a team should see there's a lot of room for improvement," Favre said. "But we're not far off. When we'll turn that corner, I have no idea. We battled back and did some good things, but ultimately we didn't score enough points."

In the visitors locker room, the Patriots were feeling vindicated as a team and not a bunch of supporting cast members made to look good by one leading man.

They want you to know the Patriots still are the team to beat, and they'd just proved it.

"This team was going to come down and do what they did today regardless of what anybody else thinks," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "That is who they are, and that is their job.

"I don't think it really matters what you think. That's just what they are going to do, regardless."

The Jets -- and the world -- were reminded of that Sunday.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- For those who thought the New York Jets were the new team to beat in the AFC East, think again.

The New England Patriots reminded everyone the division still needs to come through them even without QB Tom Brady. The Patriots beat the Jets 19-10 on Sunday at the Meadowlands.

The Patriots have won 21 straight regular-season games and seven in a row over the Jets at the Meadowlands.

Both teams displayed rough edges on offense, scoring no touchdowns in the first half and just one apiece in the second half. But the Patriots controlled the game through field position and smarter decisions.

That the Patriots won even though WR Randy Moss had only two catches for 22 yards and starting RB Laurence Maroney had eight carries for 16 yards and is testament to their all-around effort.

Patriots QB Matt Cassel didn't look like a Pro Bowler, but that was unnecessary. He completed 16 of 23 passes for 165 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions.

The Jets didn't score a touchdown until their first drive of the fourth quarter. Brett Favre completed 18 of 26 passes for 181 yards, one touchdown and one ugly interception that set up the Patriots on the Jets 31-yard line for their lone touchdown.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- There's not a whole lot to write about through the first 30 minutes of Sunday's game between the New England Patriots and New York Jets in the Meadowlands.

The Patriots lead 6-3, with the difference so far a missed 31-yard Jay Feely field-goal attempt. Feely's try soared wide right. He was signed this week to kick for Mike Nugent, who's out with a thigh injury.

The Patriots made a fine goal-line stand in the second quarter. The Jets had a first down at the Patriots' 3-yard line but had to settle for a 21-yard Feely field goal.

Patriots QB Matt Cassel, in his first start since high school in 1999, is 9 of 13 for 96 yards and no interceptions. He hasn't been able to utilize star WR Randy Moss (one catch for 8 yards).

Jets QB Brett Favre's home debut has been about the same. He is 8 of 13 for 99 yards and no interceptions. He has been sacked once.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New England Patriots QB Matt Cassel might have one less weapon at his disposal. RB Laurence Maroney is out of the game against the New York Jets with a shoulder injury. His return is questionable.

Maroney hasn't carried the ball since early in the second quarter. He has seven attempts for 17 yards.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Brett Favre's playing conditions were more pleasant last week in South Florida.

It's hot and humid at the Meadowlands, where the New York Jets will host the New England Patriots. An hour before kickoff the temperature already is 90 degrees. The humidity makes it feel more like 96 degrees, according to the Weather Channel. Skies are hazy.

Conditions apparently are good for field goals. Jay Feely, filling in for injured Jets K Mike Nugent, is making kicks from as deep as 60 yards. Patriots K Stephen Gostkowski made tries from 60 and 63 yards.

On July 30, I spoke with New England Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel after a training camp session outside Gillette Stadium. We mostly talked about life as a backup behind an NFL icon.

Circumstances certainly have changed since then. Tom Brady is done for the year, and Cassel this afternoon will make his first start at quarterback since high school. He'll face the New York Jets in the Meadowlands.

With an updated context, that interview with Cassel provides insight into his mental preparation for what has, in fact, gone down.

On the day of the interview, Brady didn't practice and was nowhere to be seen.

How does your day change when Tom Brady's not taking the first-team snaps?

Cassel: It's one of those things where it is what you make of it. I plan on being the backup quarterback, and I come out here every day and I get ready as if I'm the starter. Today was one of those days because Tom didn't go. So I took all the No. 1 snaps. It's good for me to get those snaps. Those are quality snaps you can't emulate as the No. 2 a lot of times.

I try to make it the same as if he was out there. I try and go out there and execute the offense. I've been in the offense now for four years. I'm pretty familiar with everything that's going on. I know all the players and where I want to go with the ball. If I can make it as similar as it is when he's out there, then that's good for me.

How do you deal with being stuck behind a legend?

Cassel: I work really hard and I take great pride in what I do. I feel like I'm trying to take that next step and become a star in the NFL, and the only way to do that is to continue to get better each and every year and continue to come out and perform. I feel like I'm throwing the ball really well right now.

How long is Tom Brady's shadow? Does it ever get discouraging?

Cassel: I come out with the intent of kicking his (butt) every day. If I can go out there and try to outperform him on certain days that means I'm getting better. Every day I get to compare myself to the best. That's a great thing for me because it pushes me to be the best I can possibly be. Each and every day I get to do drills with him and compete with him and beat him out in every drill.

Do you wonder if you'll ever get the chance to be an NFL starter?

Cassel: You always have to be thinking about your opportunity. You always have to be ready. I have big hopes and big dreams and aspirations to do great things in the NFL. I'd be lying if I said I was content to be a backup quarterback the rest of my career.

Do you think your opportunity will have to come elsewhere and not in a Patriots uniform?

Cassel: You never know. Tom probably never anticipated starting here with Drew Bledsoe here. If somebody was to tell you Tom Brady would be take over Drew Bledsoe's job the third game of the year and led the team to the Super Bowl. It just goes to show you have to prepare. There are guys throughout the NFL that get the chance one way or the other.

How much of a wake-up call would it be if something were to happen to Tom Brady?

Cassel: If it happens, I'll be ready to go.

	Paul Jasienski/Getty Images
	Jason Peters on his return: "I love playing football, and that's why I came back."

The Buffalo Bills have activated LT Jason Peters to their 53-man roster, clearing the way for the Pro Bowler to play Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

To make room, the Bills waived OL/TE Matt Murphy.

Peters missed all voluntary workouts, mandatory minicamp and training camp because of a contract dispute that still hasn't been resolved. He reported to the team a week ago so that he wouldn't miss his $191,000 game checks.

"I got a great love for the game," Peters said earlier this week "Some guys do it for the check, but I got the love for the game, and, obviously, I sat out for my situation for my family. But I love playing football, and that's why I came back."

Mmm-hmm.

His return puts two pillars in their proper places. Peters will protect QB Trent Edwards' blind side, allowing Langston Walker to switch back to the right side, where he played last season.

Matt in Maine writes: Give me one reason as a Pats fan that I don't give this season up and use this time to build up good karma with my wife and do family things on Sunday afternoons this fall?

Tim Graham: I'll give you three: Bill Belichick, the defensive line and Randy Moss.

Matt in Fresno, Calif., writes: Does ESPN tell you to only talk about New York vs. Boston? Is that the only thing they allow you writers to talk about? I mean seriously ... Even if there is no rivalry, you gotta try to make one up Jets and Patriots? Give me a break.

Tim Graham: Yes, we're making it all up. You caught us. All those reasons I gave why Jets-Patriots is a huge rivalry were fictional. I actually thought about naming my lead character Santa Claus instead of Bill Parcells, but then I thought that might be a little too over the top.

Chris in Fort Lauderdale writes: Pats-Jets is just another ESPN-forced rivalry. The true rivalry in the AFC East is Jets-Dolphins.

Tim Graham: I guess that's why about a third of the upper deck consisted of empty orange seats on Sunday, when the Jets visited the Dolphins ... on opening day ... with the Dolphins unveiling their new team and head coach ... with Brett Favre making his Jets debut ... with Chad Pennington playing against his former team.

Harlan in Boston writes: I'm a Pats fan, a huge one and I am realistic about the Patriots not being the team they are without Tom Brady. What I don't understand is why people are so high on the Jets taking over the AFC East. If any team has a chance I see Buffalo, a team with a solid defense, an All Pro-caliber RB and a promising QB. Your thoughts?

Tim Graham: I agree with you. I've gone on record as calling the Bills the new team to beat in the AFC East. They also have Pro Bowl LT Jason Peters coming back from his holdout.

Brian in Phoenix writes: Do you think the Bills will win at least 10 games to make it to the playoffs?

Tm Graham: I like their chances if they stay healthy. I'm not going to get into picking wins and losses down the schedule, but they have the Dolphins twice, the Raiders, Rams, 49ers and Chiefs. That's favorable for the Bills.

Garrett from Parts Unknown writes: I enjoy most of your work, but when I looked over your preseason All-AFC East defense lineup I just ended up puzzled. You stated that you were doing a 3-4 defense, which is intelligent, but then you selected Aaron Schobel at RDE. A 250-pound DE cannot hang in the 3-4. 270 pounds doesn't even cut it. Is this an isolated oversight? Or should the readers be prepared for more nonsense?

Tim Graham: Garrett, are you the guy who complains that the Shoeless Joe Jackson character in "Field of Dreams" incorrectly bats right-handed, yet overlooks the concept of ghosts living in a cornfield?

The preseason All-AFC East team isn't real. It would have been, but I couldn't find another team for it to play this weekend.

Mr. Anonymous from Waukesha, Wisc., writes: When a player makes a team's practice squad, is he under contract? If so, what is his salary?

Tim Graham: Practice squad players are under contract, but they can be signed to another team's 53-man roster. Their minimum salary is $5,200 a week. If they stay there the whole season that adds up to $88,400. But they can make more than that.

(Read full post)

The NFL's most fascinating injury report came from the Miami Dolphins.

It's blank. Again.

The Dolphins listed nary a player on their injury report all week. CB Michael Lehan, who dislocated his ankle in June and was inactive for Sunday's season opener, hasn't even been listed as probable for this week's game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Aside from that, there are no surprises on AFC East injury reports.

The New York Jets list WR David Clowney (shoulder) and K Mike Nugent (thigh) as out and nobody as doubtful for Sunday's showdown with the New England Patriots. CB David Barrett (shoulder), WR Laveranues Coles (thigh), DE Shaun Ellis (hand), WR Marcus Henry (calf) and CB Justin Miller (foot) are questionable.

The Patriots don't consider anybody out or doubtful. QB Tom Brady is no longer on the 53-man roster, so he doesn't count. WR Sam Aiken (knee), LB Eric Alexander (calf), WR Jabar Gaffney (knee), CB Lewis Sanders (head) and TE Benjamin Watson (knee) are questionable.

The Buffalo Bills won't have reserve TE Derek Fine (hand) against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The only other players on their report are categorized as probable. That must look like mocking to the Jaguars, who won't have three-fifths of their offensive line.

I had the pleasure of speaking to Fred Smerlas on Friday afternoon. Let me correct that. I had the pleasure of listening to him.

Smerlas, a five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle, is a riveting gabber. We covered a bunch of topics, among them his AFC East predicitions now that Tom Brady has thrown his last pass of 2008.

Perhaps not surprisingly, he sees the division coming down to the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots, a pair of teams he played for. He also takes exception to much of the media anointing the New York Jets the new team to beat.

"The Jets are frauds," Smerlas said from his office in Marlboro, Mass. "They barely beat Miami, a team that absolutely sucks. I've watched tape of [the Dolphins], and they're in trouble. The Jets had a hard time with them.

"Brett Favre is going off the cuff in the huddle. Favre, that pass he threw [a 22-yard desperation lob to Chansi Stuckey] was a punt. It turned into a touchdown, and they win by six points."

Compared to Favre, Smerlas said Bills QB Trent Edwards "is a much more structured player. [Marshawn] Lynch is a good running back. Their O-line is good. Their defense is better. Buffalo is balanced on offense, defense, special teams."

But Smerlas isn't about to give up on the Patriots either.

"So who's going to be there? The Patriots and the Bills will be there in the end."

New England Patriots (1-0) vs. New York Jets (1-0), 4:15 p.m. ET

When this game is over, everybody should be substantially more enlightened about the state of the AFC East.

We'll see how the Patriots are reacting to life without QB Tom Brady. We'll have a better idea if his replacement, Matt Cassel, can carry the load. We'll find out if the running game becomes the engine.

The Jets will educate us, too. After hanging on to beat the Miami Dolphins, QB Brett Favre will face a legitimate defense. The Jets' new-and-improved O-line will see how it matches up against an elite defensive front. The Jets' defense, particularly the secondary, will see if it has the talent to be great.

Most importantly, we'll learn if there has been a major power shift in the AFC East.

Although none of the other three teams will play the Buffalo Bills until Week 8, the Patriots and Jets should provide enough indication how much things truly have changed.

Buffalo Bills (1-0) at Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1), 1 p.m. ET

Because the Bills have the early game, they can make a resounding statement before the Patriots and Jets kick off in the Meadowlands.

The Bills are coming off the NFL's most complete Week 1 effort, a dismantling of the makeshift Seattle Seahawks. Few noticed because of Brady's injury and a slew of AFC upsets.

The Bills will face another hodgepodge opponent Sunday. The Jaguars won't have either starting guard or their center. That makes the revitalized Bills defense, especially former Jags DT Marcus Stroud, drool. He's coming off a two-sack, seven-tackle effort.

Buffalo's offense could get a boost. Pro Bowl LT Jason Peters is back after holding out the entire preseason in a contract dispute. He has been practicing with the first unit this week, but Bills coach Dick Jauron is being coy about Peters' availability in Jacksonville.

Miami Dolphins (0-1) at Arizona Cardinals (1-0), 4:15 p.m. ET

The Dolphins are trying to find an offensive identity. Their strength is RB duo Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown, but they totally abandoned their ground game in Sunday's 20-14 loss to the Jets. Dolphins WRs had six catches even though QB Chad Pennington threw 43 times. Their O-line looked mediocre, and rookie RG Donald Thomas is down for the season.

"We are still evaluating this football team and trying to find out who can do what and when and where, and how can we organize that to be in our best interests," Miami offensive coordinator Dan Henning said. "Obviously, we're not where we want to be."

The Cardinals haven't started a season 2-0 since 1991. History could be made Sunday.

Posted by Scouts Inc.'s Keith Kidd

	William Perlman/The Star-Ledger via US Presswire
	Eric Mangini's adjustments during the game will be critical for the Jets when they face the Patriots.

The knee injury that ended quarterback Tom Brady's season was a monumental blow to the Patriots and it also may have blown the AFC East wide open. The division just got a lot more interesting, which makes the Week 2 Patriots-Jets matchup special.

A Jets franchise that traditionally has built through the draft switched gears and signed a bunch of pricey free agents in the offseason, then watched quarterback Brett Favre fall into its lap. With Brady sidelined, the talent gap between these teams has been all but closed, making the matchup of coaches Bill Belichick and Eric Mangini more meaningful than ever.

Because these are two very different teams from a year ago and Belichick and Mangini have adaptable coaching styles, in-game adjustments will be especially critical this week. Teams seldom make great halftime adjustments in the NFL because of the lack of time. Instead, look for changes to be made as soon as the first series of the game is over. Most defensive coaches will save their best stuff for the second half, but Belichick devises ways to fix problems immediately and attack weaknesses he finds. No NFL coach is better able to adjust to the flow of a game.

Belichick and Mangini have backgrounds on defense, but both likely spent plenty of time with their offensive staffs this week. Each is keenly familiar with the other's schemes and tendencies, so they'll have a lot to say about game plans and adjustments on both sides of the ball.

Still, nowhere will those adjustments be more apparent -- or more important -- than in the ways both coaches attack the opposing quarterback. Brett Favre has seen it all, but Belichick definitely will come up with something that takes Favre out of his comfort zone or preys on his weaknesses. A meticulous notetaker with a healthy respect for history, Belichick likely has held on to schemes and pressure packages designed for Favre that he couldn't use in the past because of personnel or matchups.

Over the years, Favre has become a more stationary target in the pocket, which Belichick can exploit by using a lot of different alignments, blitz angles and pre-snap movement to create pressure. He'll probably combine this with varied back-end coverages, including zone-man combos. Some coaches are too conservative to try this but it might keep Favre off balance.

For his part, Mangini has been able to find ways to slow the high-powered Patriots offense before by targeting weak links on the Pats' offensive line and using back-end coverages designed to bait Brady while staying sound. Brady's absence changes the complexion of the matchup, but that's only one of the differences. Athletic outside linebacker Calvin Pace appears to be the piece that was missing from the Jets' pass rush. He gives Mangini more freedom to move personnel around in the 3-4 and disguise pressure schems. Though quarterback Matt Cassel is no rookie and has seen plenty of the scheme during his time in New England, finding the fourth pass rusher against a 3-4 is one of the biggest obstacles for any NFL passer with limited game experience.

The key to getting opportunities against Cassel, however, will be stopping the run. With defensive tackle Kris Jenkins on board, New York's front seven is far better equipped to do that. If the Jets' linemen maintain their pad level and points of leverage while the linebackers focus on gap responsibility, Cassel could routinely find himself in second- and third-and-long situations. Brady forced an opponent to defend the whole field, but New England's offense will be limited by Cassel's experience. He'll have to read through his progressions and won't be able to attack on all levels unless by design, as Brady had. How the coaches manage such weaknesses -- and attack those of the other guy -- in the heat of the moment should determine the outcome of this one.

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com.

Peters

Considerable trepidation existed within the Buffalo Bills locker room and in the front office over whether Pro Bowl LT Jason Peters' holdout would retard his integration into their new offense.

Peters dismissed that theory as nonsense.

Peters, who missed all voluntary workouts, minicamp, training camp and every preseason game, has declared himself ready to go after a few days of practice. He reported to camp last Saturday and didn't play in the season-opening victory over the Seattle Seahawks.

"I'm 100 percent comfortable," Peters said Friday. "I know all of the plays, all of the checks, all of the audibles, the snap counts, the cadences, no-huddle plays. I know all of that."

Peters' return would bolster Buffalo's line in two places. Langston Walker, who had been filling in as QB Trent Edwards' blindside protector, would move back to his usual RT spot.

Bills coach Dick Jauron was noncommittal about Peters' participation in Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

But based on Peters' reps in practice this week, he seems to think he'll play.

"Most likely I probably will be, but it's [Jauron's] decision," Peters said. "Hopefully, he'll activate me. But if not, I'll just prep myself to get ready for Oakland."