Eagles vs. Bills predictions: Our writers pick a winner for Week 17

The Eagles and Buffalo Bills meet Sunday in Western New York in one of the best games of the NFL’s Week 17 slate — and maybe of the entire 2025 season.

Josh Allen vs. Jalen Hurts. Western New Yorker Nick Sirianni vs. La Salle College High graduate Sean McDermott. Cheesesteaks vs. wings.

The two teams played a classic in South Philly two years ago. Will Sunday deliver the same kind of drama?

Here’s what our writers think:

I had these teams as my preseason Super Bowl matchup, and I still think Sunday afternoon could be a Super Bowl preview. There are a bunch of flawed teams preparing to battle it out in what seems to be a wide-open NFL playoffs.

These two teams are among the flawed, but they’re also pretty good.

Great offense and average defense (Bills) vs. great defense and average offense (Eagles). Who has the edge? I’m leaning Eagles.

» READ MORE: Eagles vs. Bills in Week 17: These are the numbers that matter

The running game is showing signs of life, and the Bills have been dreadful against the run. They allow 144.3 rushing yards per game, which ranks 30th in the league. They are much better against the pass (167.1 yards, 2nd), but the Eagles should be able to give them trouble with an improving, balanced attack. The offense has looked much better — even if it struggled to finish drives last week — over the last two games, but the Bills present a step up in competition.

Allen should find it difficult to find open receivers given the quality of the Eagles’ secondary vs. the Bills’ receivers. But Buffalo does a great job protecting Allen. The Bills’ pressure rate allowed of 29.7% ranks sixth in the league. More time for Allen means more time for him to freelance and make plays, and there aren’t many better than him.

The Eagles have struggled this year against quarterbacks that run, but they kept Marcus Mariota in check before he left the game in the second half.

It’s a tough one to predict in what is essentially a coin-flip game. But I think the Eagles find a way to win.

Prediction: Eagles 27, Bills 23

The key to an Eagles win starts in the trenches on both sides of the ball.

James Cook is the league’s top rusher at 1,532 yards on the season. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio lauded Cook for his elusiveness as a runner and touted his speed once he gets into the open field to hit the home run. This is going to be the Eagles run defense’s biggest test since the Bears game, but they’ve been pretty sound on the ground since then.

Cook isn’t the only challenge on the ground. Allen is capable of using his legs to extend plays and executing designed runs (especially in the low red zone).

The prospect of getting Jalen Carter back could be a big boost to the defensive line. The group has already been playing at a high level over the last few weeks, especially Jordan Davis and Brandon Graham. It will be interesting to see if Fangio continues to utilize Graham at defensive tackle upon Carter’s return.

On the other side, the Eagles offense has done a better job of marrying the run with the pass in recent weeks. They must establish the run game against the Bills, a prospect that ought to be attainable.

» READ MORE: What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 17 vs. the Bills

While the Bills boast one of the best pass defenses in the league, their run defense is suspect, conceding 5.4 yards per attempt (the second-lowest rate in the NFL).

Buffalo is a tough place to play. The Bills are a good team with a great quarterback, who may or may not be limited by a foot injury on Sunday. I’m not fully convinced that the Bills are a great team, especially given their strength of schedule this season.

Prediction: Eagles 28, Bills 27