Buffalo Bills could have avoided costly blocked extra point vs. Eagles

A costly mistake.

The Buffalo Bills fell at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 17, with a critical blocked extra point proving to be the difference.

And it could have been avoided.

Field goal blocked — Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Moro Ojomo and cornerback Kelee Ringo make comments to Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Alec Anderson after place kicker Michael Badgley’s extra point attempt was blocked during the fourth quarter. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

BADgley

Leading into Sunday’s game against the Eagles, the Bills worked out three kickers — Younghoe Koo, Gavin Stewart and Maddox Trujillo — but elected to stay with Michael Badgley, who had missed an extra point the week before against the Cleveland Browns. Well, that turned out to be the wrong decision, as Badgley’s fifth errant extra point of the season not only put the Bills behind by one point in the game’s waning moments, it also caused them to attempt a potentially game-winning two-point conversion, which ultimately failed.

Now, the three players the Bills brought in to potentially replace Badgley, who has since been released from the practice squad, were uninspiring at best. And there is no telling if any of them would have fared any better on the fateful kick. Still, running a guy back out there after he had proven to be ineffective on extra points was a bad idea, and it cost the Bills in the end. The Bills should have tried a different option.

MORE: Buffalo Bills viciously roasted by Philadelphia Eagles' head coach after Week 17 loss

Injury update

The Bills signed Badgley on Dec. 27 to replace the team’s starter, Matt Prater, who sustained a quad injury that has sidelined him for the past two games. Prater’s timeline to return remains uncertain. But with the Bills electing not to place him on Injured Reserve, signs point toward him being ready in time for the wild-card round of the playoffs.

Before exiting with his injury, Prater had made 90% of his field goals and missed three extra points through 14 games. The 41-year-old was signed before the start of the regular season to replace Tyler Bass, who was placed on IR and has since undergone surgery to repair hip and groin injuries. Bass is out for the season.

Buffalo Bills place kicker Michael Badgley practices his field goal kicks as the teams warm up before the game at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Dec. 28, 2025. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Looking ahead

As the Bills move forward into Week 18 of the regular season before preparing for the playoffs, they will have to get their ducks in a row and decide which player they will press forward with at the kicker position.

One thing is for sure. It won't be Badgley, who will now search for another team after the Bills sent him packing on Monday.

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