Eagles-Bills Stock Market: Eagles Survive in Buffalo

A December win in Orchard Park, N.Y., during the Josh Allen era is typically going to be a top bullet point on any team’s resume. For the Eagles on Sunday afternoon, it felt like the latest reboot of a network television staple: “Survivor Buffalo.”

Philadelphia (11-5) escaped Western New York by winning a rain-soaked affair, 13-12, at Highmark Stadium.

Vic Fangio’s defense tortured the reigning MVP for most of the afternoon, but Allen was on the cusp of stealing the game with five seconds left. He had just plunged in from inside the one-yard line with five seconds remaining to make it a one-point game.

Sean McDermott had a decision to make.

Put the game in the hands of replacement kicker Michael Badgley, whose first extra point was blocked by the returning Jalen Carter, in the hopes of sending the game to overtime versus trying to win it then and there.

The Bills' coach decided on the latter, and Allen had a wide-open Khalil Shakir in the end zone for what would have been the game-winning two-point conversion.

Perhaps sped up by a relentless Eagles pass rush that produced five sacks in the game, Allen badly missed the receiver who had beaten Jihaad Campbell on a double move.

“Our defense never quits," linebacker Zack Baun said.

Currently, the No. 3 seed in the NFC playoff picture, Philadelphia still has a chance to move up one spot if Chicago loses to San Francisco Sunday night and again in Week 18 against Detroit. In that scenario, the Eagles would also have to beat Washington in the final week to jump up to No. 3.

The Eagles had clinched at least the No. 3 spot earlier in the day when Seattle topped Carolina.

Here is the weekly stock market with the bulls and the bears:

THE BULLS:

PASS RUSH - Allen has had little chance to extend passing plays for most of the afternoon because the Eagles' pass rush was disciplined and dominant, both collapsing the pocket and containing the MVP on the edges.

Jalyx Hunt finished with two sacks and three quarterback hits, while Carter, returning from a three-game absence due to persistent pain in his shoulders, Jaelan Phillips, and Moro Ojomo all got home for the defense.

“Make [Allen] hold the ball a little longer to help the defensive front,” Baun said of the defensive plan.

HISTORY - Dallas Goedert’s first-quarter touchdown reception was his 11th of season, not only a career-high but one that surpassed Pete Retzlaff for the most touchdowns in franchise history by a tight end.

Fun fact: Retzlaff, who had 10 in 1965, went to South Dakota State just like Goedert.

In other milestone news, A.J. Brown cracked the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the fourth consecutive season, the first in franchise history to do that.

THE FIRST HALF - The Eagles played arguably their best half of football over the first 30 minutes, certainly against a quality opponent. The defense was buzzing around while pitching a shutout and the offense was very efficient with Jalen Hurts extending plays and Saquon Barkley moving the sticks.

BOUNCE BACK: After missing three kicks at Washington last week, Jake Elliott calmed some nerves by converting two kicks in difficult circumstances, one from 47 yards out.

GAME BALL: You never want your punter on the field seven times. If you need him to be though, you want the kind of effort Braden Mann put together on Sunday.

In the poor conditions, Mann averaged 55.4 yards on seven punts, landing two — nearly three if not for a rare Cam Latu special teams faux pas — punts inside the 20.

THE BEARS

Dec 28, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) scrambles against the Buffalo Bills during the third quarter at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

THE SECOND HALF - The offense generated just 16 total yards in the second half, and Hurts didn’t complete a pass (0 for 7). The offense finished with four consecutive three-and-outs before a Hurts kneel down after the unsuccessful two-point conversion.

The Eagles' offense controlled the ball for just 8:45 over the final 30 minutes and punted on five consecutive drives. It was ugly.

THE WEATHER - Snow is almost always a possibility in Orchard Park this time of year but today it was persistent rain that turned this into a close-to-the-vest affair built on the running game and 50/50 shots down the field.

CENTER OF ATTENTION - Pro Bowl center Cam Jurgens struggled on some running plays from under center, resulting in some negative plays which have been a death knell for the offense this season.

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