THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
JACKSONVILLE &ndash The Jacksonville Jaguars had the lead, the momentum and the home-field advantage. None of that mattered to Trent Edwards.
Edwards was good early and even better later, doing just enough to lead the Buffalo Bills to their best start in five years.
Edwards finished 20-of-25 passing for 239 yards and a touchdown - a perfect 7-yard toss to James Hardy in the fourth quarter - and the Bills beat the beleaguered Jacksonville Jaguars 20-16 on a steamy Sunday.
"Trent was really good, particularly when he had to be," Bills coach Dick Jauron said. "(His play) was a huge part of the game. Not only did he take us down when he had to, but he also took us down in the midst of the heat. We don't know how good he can be, but he gives us a chance."
The Jaguars (0-2) are off to their worst start since 2003. They finished 5-11 that season, and could be in for another long year now.
"Losing two games isn't the end of the world," cornerback Drayton Florence said. "Obviously, you don't want to start out 0-2. But the swagger's not gone, the confidence isn't gone, the expectations aren't gone. We've just got to regroup and get this thing turned around before it gets ugly."
Buffalo had just four offensive plays in the third quarter - a commanding 15 minutes for the Jags that gave them their first lead of the season.
Jacksonville looked as though it would hold on from there, especially since the defense had buckled down after a shaky start and since the sweltering Florida late-summer heat seemed to be taking its toll on the Bills.
But the heat index of 93 degrees didn't affect Edwards, who completed his first 10 passes and then saved two of his best throws for late in the game. Facing third and 6 from the Jacksonville 44, Edwards hung in the pocket and threw a strike to Lee Evans that gained 37 yards. Edwards was even better on the next play, hooking up with second-round draft pick Hardy in the corner of the end zone.
"This is a big game for all the young guys," Evans said. "Games like this early in the season help all season. It is a big, big game for the young guys."
