Ryan Fitzpatrick will make his first career home start for the Buffalo Bills on Sunday

when the Houston Texans visit Ralph Wilson Stadium.

It might not be on an interim basis, either.

Despite starting quarterback Trent Edwards being medically cleared to return to practice

after suffering a concussion Oct. 18 against the New York Jets, Bills coach Dick Jauron

declared him out for Sunday's game, and more importantly would not commit to him as the

starter when he is fully recovered.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," is all Jauron had to say about who might

start when Edwards is healthy enough to play. Houston Chronicle staff discusses injuries and the Buffalo Bills.

Fitzpatrick was unspectacular in leading the Bills to a 20-9 win over the Carolina

Panthers. He finished 11 of 22 for 123 yards and a touchdown, but the biggest number in his

stat line was a zero. That's the number of turnovers he committed, a trait that will endear

him to Jauron. Prior to being hurt against the Jets, Edwards had thrown five interceptions in

his previous three games.

"The key thing in [the Carolina] game for us was we protected the football," Jauron said. "I

thought Ryan handled the game well. He put us in the things we need to be in. They weren't

always successful but he got us in them — so he managed the game well."

When updating the status of his injured players Monday, Jauron had a curious moment. After

running through the list, the coach said, "I'm trying to think if there are any more ..."

He was then reminded that he had failed to talk about his starting QB.

"He [Edwards] is just following right along in the protocol for a head injury," Jauron

said.

"Trent will not play this week. That's the, as far as I understand it from [head trainer] Bud

[Carpenter] and our doctors, that's the proper protocol. That's the conservative approach and

that's the approach we'll take."

The concussion Edwards suffered Oct. 18 was the second of his career and came just over a

year after suffering one Oct. 5, 2008 against Arizona. Jauron said the fact Edwards has

suffered two concussions so close together has an effect on the length of time he'll be out of

the lineup.

"He's physically active now, so he'll work out [today], ... and then we'll get to Wednesday

and we'll start football workouts, but he won't play this week," the coach said.

Jauron said Edwards will not be available in any capacity for the Texans, so Gibran Hamdan

will stay in the No. 2 quarterback role.

. . .

Fewer questions were answered about the Bills' other injured players. Jauron said defensive

tackle Kyle Williams and fullback Corey McIntyre were undergoing additional tests on knee and

ankle injuries, respectively, and more would be known later in the week.

Jauron sounded particularly concerned about Williams following the game Sunday, but

couldn't shed additional light on the injury Monday.

"You know, I really can't, because, again, he's seeing our physicians and our trainers and

they'll do extensive tests and then we'll know," the coach said.

Right tackle Jonathan Scott and safeties Bryan Scott and Donte Whitner, all of whom missed

Sunday's game with ankle injuries, were classified as day to day, as was tight end Shawn

Nelson (illness).

. . .

Sunday's win was the 150th road win in regular season play for the Bills and the first time

they've won back-to-back games away from home since 2004. ... The 28 points allowed in the

last three weeks is the fewest since allowing 30 over a three-game stretch in 2003 against

Indianapolis (17), the New York Giants (seven) and the New York Jets (six). ... The Bills are

14-4 under Jauron when holding a team under 15 points and 12-2 when forcing three or more

turnovers.