ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) _ Philadelphia coach Andy Reid answered some dreary questions about his fluttering Eagles, who will land in Buffalo on Sunday.

Then Reid had a question: "How's the weather up there?"

The what?

"The weather. No snow yet, huh?"

Wouldn't rule it out. The way things have been going for Philadelphia, anything could fall from the sky.

Last week it was a grand piano.

As usual the Eagles have problems. They can't pass-block, their receivers can't get open and they refuse to run the ball.

Coming off a 19-5 loss to Tampa Bay that turned a former college star into pet food, Philadelphia has one thing to look forward to: improvement. Lots of it.

Philadelphia (0-2), seeking its first road win since Dec. 14, 1996, when the Eagles beat the New York Jets by one point at the Meadowlands, is unlikely to find it in Ralph Wilson Stadium.

The Bills (1-1), always dangerous with Doug Flutie, got their running game going in a 17-3 win over the New York Jets last week. Buffalo's defense stuffed the Jets, who were playing without Vinny Testaverde, and twice sacked Rick Mirer.

How bad are the Eagles? The Bills actually are showing respect for them.

"They may be 0-2," Flutie said. "But we were 0-3 last year; does that mean we were a terrible team? No."

Another feel-good sampler, this from fullback Sam Gash: "Their offense has been struggling, but their defense has been getting turnovers and knocking people around a bit."

"We've got to play hard, man," said Buffalo linebacker Sam Cowart, whose team has to blindfold itself to keep from looking ahead to Monday Night Football in Miami on Oct. 4. "We want to be rolling when we go to Miami."

Uh-oh. Complacency is the only thing that could kill the Bills this week. To win they must write on the blackboard 100 times: This Is Not A Week Off.

The biggest problem for the Eagles has been protecting the quarterbacks. Last week they allowed nine sacks. Bills star Bruce Smith rode 10 sacks to the Pro Bowl last season.

The biggest part of Philadelphia's biggest problem is 349-pound left tackle Tra Thomas, a 1998 first-round pick who played well last season, but has had trouble staying in shape. Thomas, who sparkled in training camp against defensive end Hugh Douglas, was reportedly headed for a nutritionist this week.

Douglas, the anchor of the defensive line, is hurt and won't play.

Quarterback Doug Pederson also is hurt, but will start. Pederson, listed as questionable with a bruised right shoulder, was benched after halftime last week in favor of rookie Donovan McNabb, who was booed by Eagles fans when he was picked No. 2 overall in the draft.

"To get that type of reaction from some of the fans out here wasn't what anyone would expect," McNabb said. "But they've opened their arms and welcomed me."

McNabb was greeted with a slew of sacks in his NFL debut. Buccaneers tackle Warren Sapp called him "new meat."

The Bills claim they aren't salivating.

"It might seem you have more opportunities against a team like this, but when a team gets clobbered, what's the first thing they do?" said Bills defensive end Marcellus Wiley. "They go back to basics and dig their cleats in the ground. So this week they're focusing a lot more on pass protection."

Reid said that McNabb may play if Pederson falters; then he said Pederson shouldn't look over his shoulder.

"I will go into this game exactly as I did the last game and make a subjective decision whether to use Donovan or not," Reid said. "Doug has no worry, however, to look over his shoulder."

Pederson, of course, is looking over his shoulder.

"As you go, one guy or the other could get more upset," Pederson said. "If we make the switch completely, OK, now you go in the backup role and support the other guy. This is still a team sport."

McNabb can almost hear footsteps from the likes of Smith right now.

"You can't talk about the Bills defense without talking about Bruce Smith," he said. "He's an All-Pro, Hall of Famer who has established himself in this league as one of the best."

"Bruce Smith amazes me," said Reid, a former assistant coach with the Packers. "Just like Reggie White did when I was at Green Bay. He's really doing a nice job."

Smith laughed when he heard such praise.

"I'm not buying any of that," said Smith, a second-team All-Pro selection behind White last year and second only to White in NFL career sacks.

Smith is still looking for his first sack of the season. He should be able to find it Sunday.

PHILADELPHIA Season schedule and results

BUFFALO Season schedule and results

September 12 Arizona L 24-25 September 19 Tampa Bay L 5-19 September 26 @Buffalo 1:00pm ET October 3 @NY Giants 1:00pm ET October 10 Dallas 1:00pm ET October 17 @Chicago 1:00pm ET October 24 @Miami 1:00pm ET October 31 NY Giants 1:00pm ET November 7 @Carolina 1:00pm ET November 14 Washington 1:00pm ET November 21 Indianapolis 1:00pm ET November 28 @Washington 1:00pm ET December 5 @Arizona 4:05pm ET December 12 @Dallas 1:00pm ET December 19 New England 1:00pm ET January 2 St. Louis 1:00pm ET

September 12 @Indianapolis L 14-31 September 19 NY Jets W 17-3 September 26 Philadelphia 1:00pm ET October 4 @Miami 9:00pm ET October 10 Pittsburgh 1:00pm ET October 17 Oakland 1:00pm ET October 24 @Seattle 4:15pm ET October 31 @Baltimore 1:00pm ET November 7 @Washington 1:00pm ET November 14 Miami 1:00pm ET November 21 @NY Jets 1:00pm ET November 28 New England 1:00pm ET December 12 NY Giants 1:00pm ET December 19 @Arizona 8:20pm ET December 26 @New England 1:00pm ET January 2 Indianapolis 1:00pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

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