I can't remember a week leading up to a Bills game with so much news not surrounding the actual contest. The Bills play a game against the Jaguars that seems like a much stiffer test than three weeks ago. Maurice Jones-Drew runs the ball as good as any other NFL back, and quarterback David Garrard, to me, is an outstanding leader, one of those guys that wills his team to victory. The emerging Mike Sims-Walker has created a new mismatch, one that the Jags have missed since the days of Jimmy Smith. Marcus Stroud has been declared out for the Bills, and the gaping hole he leaves in the Bills interior defense scares me. A lot. Buffalo was already the worst rushing defense in the NFL, and Stroud is the team's most dominating run-stopping force. Expect a huge game from Jones-Drew. The Bills just can't get away from facing elite runners. I'm not a huge fan of quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick getting the nod to start this week, although he has led the team to their most recent victories. The Bills should move the ball easier, with Perry Fewell at the helm, as he's emphasized aggression during the week of practice. This should be a fairly even game, because the Jaguars defense isn't very stout, and I think Fewell's wrinkles will benefit the team greatly on offense. I don't envision another fourth quarter meltdown like I did last week, but Jacksonville should take over late.

Jaguars 24, Bills 20

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CHRIS TRAPASSO