Early as it might be, Buffalo quarterback Trent Edwards can be credited for helping Buffalo get off to its first 2-0 start in five years. The 2007 third-round pick out of Stanford has been resourceful, poised and efficient in showing he's capable of leading a revamped offense, and has looked nothing like the inconsistent rookie that stumbled down the stretch last year.
In two games, Edwards has gone a combined 38-of-55 for 454 yards, with two touchdowns, no interceptions and a well-above acceptable 107.7 passer rating. What the numbers don't reflect is Edwards' sudden ability to produce in the clutch.
Despite the oppressive heat and facing a stingy defense in Jacksonville on Sunday, he capped the 20-16 win over the Jaguars by engineering a nine-play, 74-yard drive that ended with a perfectly placed 7-yard touchdown pass to rookie James Hardy to provide the go-ahead points with 4 minutes left.
"'Encouraged' is a good way to describe it,"
Edwards said. "But for me, personally, I still feel like we have a lot to prove. It's Week 2. It's nothing monumental."
It just feels that way in a football-mad and win-starved community that's gone eight seasons without a playoff appearance -- the longest stretch in franchise history.
SEAHAWKS: Shopping for WRs
SEATTLE -- The Seattle Seahawks took two steps to sure up their injured-depleted wide receivers by trading for Keary Colbert and reacquiring Koren Robinson on Tuesday.
Seattle agreed to a one-year contract with Robinson, its former No. 1 draft choice.
The team is believed to have sent a fifth-round pick to Denver for Colbert.
The Seahawks have lost six wide receivers to injury this season.
STEELERS: Roethlisberger's shoulder not separated
PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin clarified the status of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's shoulder: Sprained but not separated.
The injury will likely keep Roethlisberger from fully participating in practice today, but not from playing on Sunday against Philadelphia.
The Steelers said last week that their quarterback was nursing a sore shoulder, but a TV commentator on Sunday night termed the injury a shoulder separation.
During his weekly news conference Tuesday, Tomlin appeared agitated by the latter description.
"I have no idea where that report came from,"
Tomlin said.
TEXANS: Stadium issues
HOUSTON -- Houston Texans owner Bob McNair has discussed the possibility of his team playing at Rice Stadium if repairs to Reliant Stadium from Hurricane Ike can't be made in time for its first home game on Oct. 5.
The stadium's retractable roof lost five pieces in the storm and officials said large pieces of debris had fallen into the stadium.
Though he has discussed playing at Rice, which is four miles from Reliant, McNair is "optimistic"
that repairs can be made in time for Houston to play at home against the Indianapolis Colts on Oct. 5.
BROWNS: DE Smith on IR
CLEVELAND -- Browns defensive end Robaire Smith will miss the rest of the season after being placed on injured reserve Tuesday because of a left Achilles' injury.
Smith was hurt during Sunday night's 10-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Smith started all 16 games last season with the Browns and had four sacks.
TRIAL: Ingram sentenced
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. -- Former New York Giants receiver Mark Ingram was sentenced Tuesday to more than seven years in prison for bank fraud and money laundering. It's a third term behind bars for the player who starred in the 1991 Super Bowl.
Ingram also was ordered in Long Island federal court to pay $252,000 in restitution.
