Why to watch:
Neither team can afford a loss as they both chase wild-card berths. Buffalo came out flat following its bye week and suffered a 19-17 loss at home to the Giants last week. The Bills are still holding onto one of the AFC's final wild-card spots, but they also have the same record as the Dolphins, Chiefs and Seahawks.

The Cardinals had their four-game winning streak snapped last week in Washington and now are really on the ropes in the playoff fight. Arizona, which closes on the road at Atlanta and Green Bay, must win its final three games and then hope a 9-7 record is good enough to get in. Remember, the Cards reached the postseason with a late surge to finish 9-7 last year.

This game also features two of the NFL's most elusive and exciting quarterbacks, Buffalo's Doug Flutie and Arizona's Jake Plummer. Both have been somewhat inconsistent this season -- especially Plummer -- so the team that gets the best QB play likely will be the winner.

Who to watch:
Buffalo, which hasn't rushed for 100 yards in any of its last three games, will try to establish RBs Jonathan Linton and Antowain Smith, who's questionable with a toe injury. If those two can occupy the defense, it will open things up greatly for Flutie, who hasn't thrown for more than 220 yards in any of his last six games. Flutie has only four TD passes to go along with three interceptions in his last three starts.

INJURY REPORT

Bills: OUT: G Joe Panos (neck). QUESTIONABLE: T Robert Hicks (ankle); TE Jay Riemersma (groin); RB Antowain Smith (toe); DE Bruce Smith (shoulder). PROBABLE: LB Sam Rogers (lower back). Cardinals: DOUBTFUL: T L.J. Shelton ankle (ankle); LB Mark Maddox (knee); RB Michael Pittman (toe). QUESTIONABLE: LB James Folston (hamstring); G Lester Holmes (knee); T-G Matt Joyce (back); DE Brad Ottis (back); DT Eric Swann (knee). PROBABLE: S Kwamie Lassiter (thigh); WR Rob Moore (hamstring); DE Andre Wadsworth (knee).

Bills WR Eric Moulds, who leads the team with six TD catches, will try to exploit an Arizona defense that has allowed 20 TD passes this season. Moulds will face Cardinals CB Aeneas Williams in an excellent matchup. If Williams is able to tie up Moulds, Flutie will turn to Bills WR Andre Reed, who has caught 44 passes for 471 yards, but has only reached the end zone once.

Bills DE Bruce Smith might not play because of an injury to his right shoulder. However, Buffalo has excellent depth on its defensive line with DEs Phil Hansen, Marcellus Wiley and Shawn Price. The Cardinals offensive line, which was banged-up following the 28-3 loss to the Redskins, definitely will have its hands full with the Bills' front three.

Plummer runs extremely hot and cold, but he was frigid last week, throwing for just 147 yards and three interceptions. Despite that performance, Plummer won't be shy about testing Bills CBs Thomas Smith and Ken Irvin. Cardinals RB Michael Pittman reinjured his hamstring last week and is listed as doubtful. That means it will be up to Adrian Murrell to try to spark the NFL's No. 28 rushing attack.

If Arizona is going to win, the Cards will need big plays from WRs Rob Moore and Frank Sanders. Despite his team-leading 58 catches for 673 yards, Sanders has yet to reach the end zone this season. Moore has four TD catches and is averaging 16.6 yards per catch.

Cardinals DE Simeon Rice, who leads the NFL with 13½ sacks, should have fun chasing the fleet-footed Flutie out of the pocket.

Bills' numbers to know:
Buffalo is 13-2 against the NFC East since 1990 in the regular season. However, the Bills are 0-4 against the division in Super Bowls. ... Reed (13,030) needs 59 yards to tie Steve Largent (13,089) for fourth place on the NFL's all-time receiving yardage list. Reed (933) needs seven catches to tie Art Monk (940) for second place on the NFL's all-time receptions list.

Cardinals' numbers to know:
Arizona's offense has scored zero touchdowns in the first half this season. ... The Cardinals are just 3-16 against AFC teams dating back to 1995.

What it means:
For the Cardinals, this is basically do-or-die. Another loss would kill Arizona's long-shot playoff hopes.

The Bills need to get back on track right away, especially with so many teams in the running for the AFC's wild-card spots. Buffalo closes at New England and at home against Indianapolis, so the Bills can't afford to start a losing streak now.