By Zach Berman, Brooks Kubena, Joe Buscaglia and Tim Graham
The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Buffalo Bills 13-12 on Sunday in a thrilling game that lived up to the hype between two of the best teams in the NFL.
Philadelphia’s suffocating defense shut the Bills down for most of the game and held off a two-point conversion attempt in the final seconds that would have all but given Buffalo the win. The Eagles had a 13-0 lead at halftime, their third first-half shutout of the season. Philadelphia (11-5) sacked Bills quarterback Josh Allen five times and held Buffalo to its lowest point total of the season.
Sunday’s game was a tune-up between two playoff-bound teams still vying for more favorable seedings. The Eagles clinched the NFC East in Week 16 with a win against the Washington Commanders, while the Bills (11-5) clinched a playoff spot after an Indianapolis Colts loss on Monday and entered the game with just an 8 percent chance of winning the AFC East, according to The Athletic’s Playoff Simulator. Meanwhile, the New England Patriots won the AFC East with the Bills’ loss to the Eagles. The Eagles still have a shot at the No. 2 overall seed with one game remaining against the Commanders.
Philadelphia’s scoring all came in the first half. With his touchdown reception in the first quarter, Dallas Goedert set an Eagles record for most single-season receiving touchdowns (11) by a tight end. Jake Elliott kicked field goals of 47 and 28 yards, plus an extra point, one week after missing three field goals.
The Bills scored their 12 points in the fourth quarter. Both touchdowns were short Allen rushes, but after the first, Jalen Carter, who returned after being out for a month with shoulder injuries, blocked Michael Badgley’s extra point attempt. Badgley was in for injured kicker Matt Prater. After the second touchdown, with the Bills down 7, Buffalo coach Sean McDermott elected to go for 2, and Allen’s pass sailed in front of Khalil Shakir in the end zone.
Eagles defense comes up big
The Eagles leaned and leaned and leaned on their defense until it saved them by the closest of margins. They led 13-0 at halftime. They ended the game with four straight three-and-outs on offense. Their defense bailed them out every time until the Bills scored touchdowns on their final two drives. The Bills assembled a 13-play, 83-yard touchdown drive and elected to go for two (and the win) with five seconds left in the game. Josh Allen’s under-pressure throw fell incomplete.
There will be plenty said about how the Eagles foundered offensively and how that spells trouble in the postseason ahead. Still, their defensive dominance proves once again that they can squeeze out wins against the NFL’s top contenders. The Eagles sacked Allen five times, two of which were by Jalyx Hunt. James Cook, the league’s leading rusher, was limited to 74 yards on 20 carries. Allen’s -0.28 EPA/dropback was his second-lowest of the season. — Brooks Kubena, Eagles beat writer
Philadelphia’s inconsistent offense remains a concern
The biggest concern for the Eagles entering the postseason? An inconsistent offense. After scoring on three of five drives in the first half, the offense went dark in the second half. They had four consecutive three-and-outs following an opening drive with one first down. They punted five times. They totaled 17 yards after halftime. When they had a chance to salt the game away with 5:11 remaining and a seven-point lead, they couldn’t even muster a yard — only a loss of two.
This was a significant victory for the Eagles, the type of late-December win that would give them an advantage entering the postseason. However, questions about the offense persist even with the win over a Super Bowl contender. — Zach Berman, Eagles beat writer
No. 2 seed scenario
If the Chicago Bears lose to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night, an Eagles’ win over the Commanders in Week 18 and a Bears loss to the Detroit Lions would give Philadelphia the No. 2 seed. There’s also a chance this is the Eagles’ last time fielding their starters before the playoffs. The Eagles rested their starters in Week 18 last year ahead of the postseason, and that rest was beneficial for the team in January (and February).
If this is the last time seeing the Eagles, how should fans feel? The defense is playing at a Super Bowl-caliber level. The offense still needs work. All that matters, though, is scoring more than the other team, and the Eagles have now done that 11 times this season. Crucially, they’ve done it against formidable opponents like the Los Angeles Rams and the Bills. They are a legitimate Super Bowl contender, even if it looks ugly at times. — Berman
Bills defense hitting stride despite loss
Despite the Bills taking the loss on Sunday, they simply could not have asked for much more from their defense. The Bills allowed the defending champion Eagles to gain only 3.5 yards per play for the entire game, but it gets better than that. In the second half, the Bills’ defense pitched a shutout, forcing four straight three-and-outs to keep the Bills in the game and allowing only 1.0 yards per play on 17 total plays. It was an overwhelming, dominant effort against an Eagles team boasting great playmakers at every skill position. The only touchdown the Bills surrendered to the Eagles came on a possession that began in Bills territory, following Allen’s lost fumble.
The offense should, and will, take the brunt of the blame for the loss, but if the Bills are looking at things from an optimistic viewpoint, the defense is hitting its stride just ahead of the playoffs. With the loss, the Bills know that their playoff journey will begin on the road, as they’ll fall short of the AFC East division crown for the first time since 2019. — Joe Buscaglia, Bills beat writer
Buffalo falls short of another dramatic comeback
The Bills didn’t score for nearly 55 minutes, but their knack for second-half shenanigans made for a rollicking finish. For only the second time in the Allen era, the Bills were held scoreless through three quarters at home. He fumbled twice in the first quarter, the second one on the verge of the red zone and probably wiping away points. Buffalo’s defense, through a series of three-and-out stops in the second half, kept the game close enough for Allen to generate yardage and hope. Brandin Cooks showed up big with four catches and 101 yards. A 25-yard hook-and-ladder play on fourth-and-9, followed by Cooks’ facemask catch for 36 yards, put Buffalo on the doorstep.
A clock-management chess match between McDermott and Eagles coach Nick Sirianni boiled the game down to the final two snaps. The Bills were slow and purposeful on their final drive despite their problems picking up first downs, but Allen’s TD plunge with five seconds to go pitched the drama. Badgley missed the extra point on Allen’s previous TD run, and whether it was a lack of confidence in him or a decision to go for the jugular, McDermott chose to try the two-point conversion to win. It was unsuccessful. — Tim Graham, Bills beat writer