ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) -- The New York Giants are rolling, and the Buffalo Bills are bracing.

To hear coach Wade Phillips describe it, the Giants team that clobbered the Jets last week is the second coming of the Super Bowl squad that nipped the Bills in January 1991.

"We played the Jets three weeks ago in that same stadium, they beat us, and the Giants just killed them," Phillips said, referring to the Bills' recent loss to the Jets and the Giants' surprising 41-28 massacre of the Jets last week.

Phillips dutifully pointed out the Giants' 490 yards on offense and the Jets' meager 15 yards rushing.

"I don't know if anybody could have played any better," said Phillips, who ought to expect a check in the mail for moonlighting for the Giants' public relations department.

The Buffalo coach also had kind words for Giants coach Jim Fassel, Phillips' former assistant in Denver: "I think (John) Elway may have had his best year ever when we were there, because of Jim and his offense."

Welcome to the NFL, where coaches offer pregame milk and cookies to soften up the other guy.

The players, however, try to avoid sweets. "Their confidence is only two weeks old, so hopefully we can smash it in the mouth," Bills defensive end Marcellus Wiley said.

Fact is, the banged-up Giants (6-6) will have a tough time beating the Bills (8-4) at Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday, no matter who calls the plays.

The Giants, with quarterbacks coach Sean Payton making the calls, got a great game last week from QB Kerry Collins, who was 17-for-29 for 341 yards and three touchdowns.

While some Bills suspect the Jets defense was taking an unauthorized bye week, there is genuine admiration for Collins, who became the first Giants quarterback since Phil Simms in 1993 to pass for more than 300 yards. Collins posted the sixth 300-yard passing game of his checkered career and tied his record of three touchdown passes, all to Amani Toomer.

"Hopefully last week what we saw is what Kerry is going to be on a weekly basis," Fassel said.

Collins was cut by Carolina after reportedly telling the team his heart was no longer into being the Panthers' quarterback. New Orleans then signed him, but he struggled with the Saints. Collins was signed by the Giants in February to a four-year, $16.9 million contract as a free agent.

"He looks like the Carolina Kerry Collins," Wiley said. "He doesn't look like the New Orleans Kerry Collins that we saw; we hope we get to see him again."

Collins, who led the Panthers to the NFC championship game in 1996, sounds like he has turned things around on and off the field.

"I've done a lot with my personal life and worked hard on it off the field," he said. "I'm healthy and doing all the things I need to be doing. Because of that, the football part has come along really well. Last year is over, and I learned a lot from it and am on an upward trend right now and would like to keep it going."

Two-time Pro Bowl picks Jessie Armstead and Michael Strahan were added to the team's growing injury list this week with knee problems, but are expected to play Sunday. But there are concerns about the defense, which lost cornerback Jason Sehorn with a broken left leg in Sunday's win.

Collins would like to pay back a Giants defense that has carried the team. "We need to help them out a little bit, because they are banged up and they have a lot of guys down," he said. "It puts more of the onus on the offense to try to play a ball control game and put some points on the board."

Collins praised the Bills defense, ranked third in the league against the rush, second against the pass and second overall.

"So it's a challenge and a half for us this week," said Collins, who was helped by rookie Joe Montgomery's 38 rushes for 111 yards and one TD vs. the Jets. "They've got guys coming up the field and, of course, you've got Bruce Smith coming around the edge, and I won't be able to sit back there quite like I did last week."

The Bills, who finally have injured veteran running back Thurman Thomas back -- but apparently have lost tight end Jay Riemersma (groin) for another week -- hope their bye week will help.

"We had a lot of momentum going into the break, and I hope it didn't disturb that momentum," Smith said.

NY GIANTS Season schedule and results

BUFFALO Season schedule and results

September 12 @Tampa Bay W 17-13 September 19 Washington L 21-50 September 26 @New England L 14-16 October 3 Philadelphia W 16-15 October 10 @Arizona L 3-14 October 18 Dallas W 13-10 October 24 New Orleans W 31-3 October 31 @Philadelphia W 23-17 November 14 Indianapolis L 19-27 November 21 @Washington L 13-23 November 28 Arizona L 24-34 December 5 NY Jets W 41-28 December 12 @Buffalo 1:00pm ET December 19 @St. Louis 1:00pm ET December 26 Minnesota 1:00pm ET January 2 @Dallas 4:05pm ET

September 12 @Indianapolis L 14-31 September 19 NY Jets W 17-3 September 26 Philadelphia W 26-0 October 4 @Miami W 23-18 October 10 Pittsburgh W 24-21 October 17 Oakland L 14-20 October 24 @Seattle L 16-26 October 31 @Baltimore W 13-10 November 7 @Washington W 34-17 November 14 Miami W 23-3 November 21 @NY Jets L 7-17 November 28 New England W 17-7 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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