6 takeaways as Bills' offense invisible while defense stands tall during loss to Eagles

The Buffalo Bills’ late-game magic may have finally run out.

For the first time since the 2023 season, the Bills were shut out at home through halftime during Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles. And while Buffalo once again made things interesting, giving themselves a chance to win down the stretch, its chickens came home to roost as Philadelphia moved past Buffalo, 13-12, on a rainy Sunday evening.

The Eagles maintained the shutout through the third quarter but ended up winning by the skin of their teeth to send the Bills to 11-5 on the year. A blocked extra point turned out to be the difference, as the Eagles improved to 11-5, earning their third straight win.

With Buffalo's loss, the New England Patriots claimed the AFC East title, ending the Bills' five-year reign atop the division.

Time will tell if the Bills have enough to dust themselves off and make an extended postseason run. But based on their Jekyll and Hyde performance over the past several weeks, it’s hard to believe they’ll be able to level things out enough to pull off three consecutive road wins en route to earning an elusive Super Bowl appearance.

Buffalo has pulled the rabbit out of the hat several times down the stretch of the regular season, but on Sunday, they weren’t able to do so and fell to a championship-proven opponent as a result.

It was one of the Bills’ most disappointing efforts of the year. And there is plenty to break down as a result.

Dec 28, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) throws a pass against Buffalo Bills defensive end Andre Jones Jr. (75) during the third quarter at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Admirable effort

The Bills’ defense was up to the task during the defeat, coming through with a number of critical stops to keep them in the game.

Following a first half which the Eagles exited leading 13-0, the Buffalo resistance didn't allow Philadelphia to score a single point during the second half while holding the Eagles' offense to just 16 total yards over the final two quarters of play. The Eagles finished the game with just 190 total yards and a slim average of 3.5 yards per play.

One of the keys to the Bills' stellar effort on the defensive side of the ball was their ability to slow Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley, who finished the game with just 68 yards rushing on an average of just 3.6 yards per carry. Matt Milano had another big game for the Bills, combining with Greg Rousseau for a sack while recording a team-high seven tackles, a tackle for loss and a quarterback hit. Rousseau recorded two QB hits during the defeat.

But at the end of the day, it wasn’t enough, as Buffalo’s effort on the other side of the ball was one of its worst of the year.

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Dec 28, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills linebacker Shaq Thompson (45) tackles Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) during the second quarter at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Blackout

The Bills’ offense was a no-show throughout the first three quarters against the Eagles, which it finished 2 of 8 on third down. A remarkable defensive effort, coupled with another miraculous comeback nearly saved the Bills from an embarrassing defeat. But it wasn't to be, leaving plenty of questions to be answered for this team on the offensive side of the ball.

Without Dalton Kincaid in the lineup due to a knee injury, Buffalo was able to move the ball, finishing with 331 total yards. But it failed to finish drives, leading to a slog of a day for the team’s entire attack. Allen came on late, finishing 23 of 35 for 262 yards and two rushing touchdowns, but James Cook recorded just 70 yards rushing on 3.7 yards per carry.

The Bills’ lackluster offensive effort could be encapsulated up by the team’s failure to convert in a goal-to-go situation near the end of the third quarter. Buffalo had four plays to gain seven yards but was stopped short of the end goal line. The Bills went pass, pass, run, pass, coming up empty on their seventh straight drive. During the red-zone sequence, Bills’ pass catchers failed to get open for Allen, who tucked the ball and ran, only to come up one yard short of the goal line.

Later, when the Bills attempted a two-point conversion to win the game, Allen missed a wide open Khalil Shakir on the back-line of the end zone.

The Bills had chances to overcome their early deficit on Sunday. Still, their fifth loss of the season was another example of the Bills lacking the game-changing players needed offensively to push past a team of the Eagles' caliber.

Dec 28, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; A Buffalo Bills fan wearing a mask of animated character the grinch looks on during the second quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Shnowman melting

After putting forth a strong performance against Myles Garrett and the Cleveland Browns last week, Dion Dawkins struggled against the Eagles’ vaunted pass rush. The Bills’ left tackle allowed a sack by Jalyx Hunt and was also called for holding during the first quarter of Sunday’s game against Philadelphia.

Dawkins has been one of the stalwarts along the Bills’ offensive line the past several seasons, but this year has not been his best. The entire Buffalo OL was not up to par against Philadelphia, as Allen was under pressure throughout the game and sacked five times. He has now been sacked 40 times this season, which is the most of his career.

There are times Allen runs himself into trouble, including when he took a 19-yard sack early in the fourth quarter to push the Bills out of field-goal range. Still, the Bills' offensive line has failed to protect their QB the way it did a season ago, which is a concern moving forward.

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Dec 28, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) calls an audible at the line of scrimmage against the Philadelphia Eagles defense during the first quarter at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Piling up

After tying the NFL record for fewest giveaways in a season with eight a year ago, the Bills have turned the ball over far more often during the 2025 campaign. And most of the team’s turnovers have come from Allen.

On Sunday, the Bills’ quarterback committed his 13th turnover of the season when he lost a fumble midway through the first quarter. The wet weather was certainly a factor in Allen’s latest giveaway, as he let the ball slip away while scrambling outside the pocket.

There was some debate over whether Allen’s arm was moving forward when he lost control of the ball. Nonetheless, Philadelphia fell on the loose ball and proceeded to find the end zone seven plays later to score the game’s first points and take a 7-0 lead.

Buffalo is now up to 19 turnovers as a team this year.

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Tyrell Shavers (14) leaps to catch a thirty-two yard pass thrown by quarterback Josh Allen (not pictured) against Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (27) during the third quarter at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Now we’re Cook(s)in’

Finally, Brandin Cooks caught the ball.

The Bills’ midseason addition was one of the lone bright spots during a forgettable performance, recording a 50-yard reception from Allen midway through the first quarter. The big play turned out to be for naught, as Allen turned the ball over two plays later. But later in the game, Cooks came through with another big grab, hauling in an acrobatic 36-yard reception to set up a game-tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

After a couple of crucial drops in recent weeks, Cooks' catching ability was elite on Sunday. If he can continue to break away from defenders down the field and catch the ball, it would be a significant boost for a Bills’ passing game that has struggled to receive production from wide receivers not named Khalil Shakir this season.

That being said, Tyrell Shavers also recorded a big play for the Bills against the Eagles, recording a highlight-reel 32-yard reception from Allen. All in all, it was another regrettable performance from the Bills’ offense. But the three big plays created by Cooks and Shavers helped keep them alive during the dramatic defeat.

Perhaps a good sign moving forward.

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Buffalo Bills running back James Cook III (4) is upended on a tackle by Philadelphia Eagles safety Marcus Epps (39) during the second quarter at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Rest starters

With the Bills’ hopes of winning their sixth straight AFC East title now dashed, it would be wise for them to rest their starters in Week 18.

Allen seemed to aggravate the foot injury with which he entered Sunday’s game, while starting linebacker Terrel Bernard was lost for the game due to a calf injury, the latest on a long list of ailments for the Bills’ captain this season. And with Buffalo having several other players dealing with various ailments, it seems like it would be a no-brainer for the Bills to get right health-wise in time for the first round of the playoffs.

Following the loss to the Eagles, the Bills are now the No. 7 seed in the conference standings with one game to play in the regular season.

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