What you need to know about today's Bengals-Bills game at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y.:

Overview:  The Bengals are looking to break the Buffalo curse as the season reaches the midpoint. They haven't defeated the Bills in the regular season since Nov. 27, 1988, at Riverfront Stadium (35-21). Cincinnati also hasn't won at Buffalo since Nov. 3, 1985 (23-17). A Bengals' victory will be difficult because they're catching a hot Bills team.

Scouting the Bengals:  They've scored 80 more points than Buffalo (177-97), but have a worse record because their defense is a sieve — a unit that yields too many explosive plays and is unable to stop opponents on a consistent basis, which places too much pressure on the offense.  Tailback Rudi Johnson (hamstring) returns to the lineup and will share the load with Kenny Watson. Look for the Bengals to try and turn the game into a track meet with quarterback Carson Palmer running the no-huddle and playing pitch-and-catch with Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

Scouting the Bills:  They've rebounded from an 0-3 start with three victories in four games, including two straight. Buffalo aims for its first three-game winning streak since 2004. QB J.P. Losman replaces Trent Edwards, who suffered a wrist injury in last week's 13-3 win over the Jets. Losman came off the bench and fired a career-long 85-yard touchdown pass to Lee Evans to seal the victory. They've scored more than 19 points just once this season (a 25-24 loss to Dallas). They win with defense and great special teams play.

Dayton Daily News