Eagles Defeat Bills, 13-12: 10 Takeaways From Philadelphia’s Hard-Fought Win
After losing three consecutive games, the Philadelphia Eagles have bounced back by winning three consecutive games. The Eagles traveled up north and defeated the Buffalo Bills, 13-12. It marked the first loss at home in December for Bills quarterback Josh Allen since December 6th, 2021.
Philadelphia’s defense shut down the NFL’s top rushing attack, as they limited the Bills to 120 rushing yards and just 3.6 yards per carry. It was a dominant defensive performance that was unfortunately overshadowed by Philadelphia’s offensive ineptitude in the second half.
Here are my 10 takeaways from Philadelphia’s hard-fought win.
What Happened to the Offense in the Second Half?
After gaining just 25 yards on their first two drives of the game, Philadelphia’s offense appeared to be firing on all cylinders to end the first half. The Eagles scored on each of their final three possessions before halftime, yet Philadelphia somehow lost all of their momentum during the break.
The Eagles ran 17 plays for 17 total yards in the second half against the Bills, excluding a kneel down to end the game. It was an embarrassing showing that has become far too common for this team in 2025. Yet Philadelphia somehow continues to win, despite their offensive shortcomings.
After getting out to a 13-0 lead, it felt like the Eagles turtled up. Philadelphia’s offense ran against loaded boxes, despite Buffalo’s defense clearly being prepared for those plays. It forced the Eagles into obvious passing situations on third down, which Jalen Hurts was unable to bail them out of due to poor play-calling and pass protection.
Philadelphia’s offense was put in a near impossible situation, yet it was all by their own doing. It felt like the Eagles offense did what they wanted to do in the first half and then went completely away from what worked in the second half.
The Eagles offense has essentially become Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It’s a blend of both good and evil…and we’ll simply never know which side that we’re going to see in any given game (or half). Despite their frustrating issues, the Eagles still have the ability to win it all.
Nick Sirianni’s Brand of Football Is Frustrating (but It’s Effective)
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni is such a polarizing figure in sports. It seems like people either love him or hate him…with many leaning towards that second option in 2025. Yet it’s hard to dispute his success as a head coach in the NFL.
After defeating the Bills, Sirianni improved his coaching record to 84-59. He is one of just five head coaches to have a winning percentage over .700 in the NFL. The other four head coaches in that group are all in the Hall of Fame:
Guy Chamberlin
John Madden
Vince Lombardi
George Allen
While Sirianni might not be everyone’s cup of tea, his record speaks for itself. Sirianni constantly talks about how difficult it is to win in the NFL, yet the Eagles have managed to do so at an elite rate during his tenure as head coach in the City of Brotherly Love.
Sirianni is often crucified for his conservative decision-making, such as Philadelphia’s performance in the second half in Buffalo. But there’s a method to Sirianni’s madness, which he showcased to his team on HBO’s Hard Knocks.
Prior to Week 16, Sirianni showed his team a graphic regarding Philadelphia’s record when they win the turnover battle. After Sunday’s victory in Buffalo, the Eagles are now 42-2 when they have won the turnover battle during Sirianni’s tenure as head coach.
That’s an absurd win rate that simply can’t be disregarded when discussing Sirianni’s approach to the game. So while many of us (including myself) might not agree with Sirianni’s brand of football at times, we should also appreciate the winning culture that he has established in Philadelphia.
Eagles OL Continues To Be a Problem
After a promising performance against the Washington Commanders in Week 16, Philadelphia’s offensive line crashed back down to earth in Buffalo. The Eagles offensive line has been an under discussed problem all season long and it really came to light in the second half against the Bills.
Eagles offensive line coach and run game coordinator Jeff Stoutland is regarded as one of the best position coaches in the NFL. Yet his unit has underwhelmed and looked unprepared far too often in 2025. It’s a legitimate problem that might not even be fixed by the eventual return of Lane Johnson.
The Curious Case of Cameron Latu
After begging for Eagles tight end Cameron Latu to have a bigger role on offense, it seemed like it was going to happen early in Week 17. Latu played multiple snaps on Philadelphia’s opening drive and the Eagles were able to move the ball relatively well.
He played five snaps in the first half and just one snap in the second half. Here was the result of those six plays:
4-yard run on 1st & 10
7-yard run on 2nd & 6
2-yard run on 1st & 10
1-yard TD pass on 2nd & Goal
9-yard run on 1st & 10
5-yard run on 1st & 10
It felt like Latu was having a positive impact in the running game and blocking effectively. Yet his final offensive snap came with 13:25 remaining in the third quarter. Dallas Goedert was then asked to fill Latu’s role as a fullback and looked incredibly uncomfortable doing so.
While Latu made a bone-headed decision in punt coverage, he shouldn’t have had his offensive role reduced to nothing in the second half. The Eagles need to take advantage of Latu’s blocking ability and stop trying to fit a square peg in a round hole by asking Goedert and Grant Calcaterra to make key blocks in the running game.
Officials Didn’t Do the Eagles Any Favors
The Eagles faced an uphill battle as underdogs on the road in Buffalo. Yet not only did Philadelphia have to defeat the Bills, they also had to defeat the officiating crew. As they did no favors for the Eagles at all in Week 17.
There were several notable calls that went against the Eagles on the road in Buffalo, including but not limited to:
DeVonta Smith’s catch ruled incomplete
Jalen Hurts hit out of bounds (no call)
DeVonta Smith hit while running a route (no call)
A.J. Brown’s arm held on target (no call)
It was an embarrassing performance by the officials that nearly overshadowed the play on the field. While the Eagles were ultimately able to overcome the questionable officiating on the field, it’ll be tough to do that moving forward in the playoffs.
Eagles Pass Rush Continues To Win With Just Four Players
Remember when the Eagles were able to dominate the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl because their pass rush was able to win while utilizing just four players? Well they’re starting to do exactly that all over again.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, all five of Philadelphia’s sacks against the Bills were with just four pass rushers. The Eagles now have 18 sacks over their last four games with a four-man rush, which is seven more than any other defense in the NFL.
Welcome Back, (Jalen) Carter
After missing three consecutive games, Eagles All-Pro defensive lineman Jalen Carter returned to action against the Bills. Carter didn’t waste anytime making his presence known in Buffalo, as he recorded five total pressures, including a tone-setting sack.
Carter also made an impact on special teams, as he blocked an extra point kick that proved to be the difference in the game. The Eagles defense was already firing on all cylinders prior to Carter’s return. Now they’re trending towards becoming even better than last year’s Super Bowl winning defense.
Quinyon Mitchell Uncharacteristically Struggled
Eagles second-year cornerback Quinyon Mitchell has become so dominant that it’s surprising when he allows a single catch. Yet Josh Allen and the Bills weren’t afraid to test Mitchell through the air in Week 17. Therefore, it was surprising to see Mitchell struggle in Buffalo.
According to Pro Football Focus, Mitchell allowed three receptions on four targets for 48 yards, along with being called for a questionable defensive pass interference. Mitchell also whiffed on a tackle against an outside run early in the game.
More Like Marcus Oops, Am I Right?
Marcus Epps had filled in admirably as a starting safety since stepping in for Andrew Mukuba in Week 14. He continued to look incredibly comfortable in run support when playing downhill against the Bills on Sunday.
Yet he really struggled in coverage, which could be a concern given some of Philadelphia’s potential opponents in the playoffs. According to Pro Football Focus, Epps allowed four receptions on four targets for 58 yards in Buffalo. He can’t afford to make the same mistakes in coverage moving forward.
Braden Is the Mann
While it was tough to watch the Eagles offense be forced to punt five times in the second half, it was fun to watch Braden Mann do his thing. Despite working in poor weather conditions, Mann put on a punting masterclass in Buffalo.
Mann punted seven times for 388 yards against the Bills, an average of 55.4 yards per punt. He pinned the Bills inside the 20-yard line twice and should’ve had another punt downed at the 1-yard line. Yet Cameron Latu made a costly mistake trying to down the football, which ruined Mann’s perfect punt.