Eagles vs. Bills: Everything you need to know about Sunday’s game

The Eagles clinched the NFC East title last week, and now head into a heavyweight battle against reigning MVP Josh Allen’s Buffalo Bills with an extra day of rest.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Eagles-Bills matchup…

The game will kick off on Fox at 4:25 p.m. on Sunday in Highmark Stadium. Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady will be on the call, marking the former New England Patriots star’s fifth time covering the Birds this year, with Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi as sideline reporters.

If you prefer to listen to the game, Merrill Reese and Mike Quick will call the game on 94.1 WIP.

The National Weather Service is forecasting steady rain throughout the late afternoon and into the evening in Buffalo. Warm weather will prevent snow, but 10-20 mph winds may impact the throwing and kicking game for both teams.

» READ MORE: Jeff McLane’s keys to Eagles vs. Bills in Week 17: What you need to know and a prediction

The Eagles have ruled out Lane Johnson (foot) and Nakobe Dean (hamstring) for Sunday’s game, with Jalen Carter finally being cleared to return to action after missing three games following procedures on both shoulders.

Tackle Cameron Williams is once again listed as questionable after being a full participant in practice throughout the week. The Eagles have one more week to decide to end his season or sign him to the active roster.

For the Bills, Allen is expected to play after suffering a foot injury at halftime last week against the Cleveland Browns. But Allen may be without two of his top targets, as tight ends Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid are both listed as questionable with knee injuries.

The Buffalo defense will also be without defensive tackles DaQuan Jones and Jordan Phillips, as well as former All-Pro safety Jordan Poyer and kicker Matt Prater.

As of Saturday morning, the Birds are 1.5-point underdogs at DraftKings and FanDuel, with each sportsbook setting the total at 44.5 points. For more betting props, check out our betting guide here.

The Eagles secured back-to-back NFC East titles for the first time since 2004 with their triumph over the Washington Commanders last week — guaranteeing a home playoff game come January. Now, the team will battle for seeding in the NFC.

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

The Birds are mathematically eliminated from competing for the No. 1 seed, and could only rise to the No. 2 seed with two straight wins coupled with two losses from the Chicago Bears (11-4). This leaves the Eagles squarely in control of the No. 3 seed with a two-game lead over the Carolina Panthers (8-7).

The San Francisco 49ers (11-4), the Los Angeles Rams (11-4), and the Green Bay Packers (9-4-1) are the Eagles’ likeliest first-round playoff opponents — with the 49ers and Rams still in the hunt for the No. 1 seed.

Can the Eagles gain momentum heading into the playoffs?

The Birds haven’t beaten a team that currently has a winning record since their 10-7 victory over the Packers on Monday Night Football all the way back on November 10th.

On the flip side, the Bills have had a resurgence to end the year, winning four straight, including a barn burner versus the AFC’s No. 2-seedeed New England Patriots.

Facing two straight backup quarterbacks in the team’s recent wins over the Las Vegas Raiders (2-13) and the Commanders (4-12), the Birds have their work cut out for them against a Bills offense that is third in the league in total yards and scoring. Can Jalen Hurts and the offense keep up with Buffalo, or will the defense have to carry the day once again?

37: How many points it took to defeat the Bills in overtime back in 2023.

» READ MORE: Adoree’ Jackson has had ups and downs as an Eagle. A positive approach has him playing his best when it matters most

Here’s how our beat writers are predicting Sunday’s game:

Olivia Reiner: “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-worst 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. Eagles 28, Bills 27

Jeff Neiburg: “The Eagles have struggled this year against quarterbacks who 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 essentially is a coin-flip game. But I think the Eagles find a way to win. Eagles 27, Bills 23

National Media Predictions

Here’s a look at who the national media is picking for Sunday’s game ...

What we’re saying about the Eagles

Here’s a look at what our columnists are saying, starting with Mike Sileski’s eulogy of the Eagles’ world-famous Tush Push, followed by Marcus Hayes’ review of the team’s recent performance against the Commanders:

Mike Sileski: “But the demise of the Tush Push is real, and it has to be a worry as the Eagles look ahead to the postseason. Hurts has made it clear that he had grown tired of running it anyway, and the league officials had raised their level of scrutiny of it, calling more penalties against the Eagles this season. It has gone from an automatic first down to an unreliable chore. They will have to find a new way to remain aggressive, and to succeed, in fourth-and-short situations.”

Marcus Hayes: “Glass half full: A good win — on the road, against a division opponent, with no offensive turnovers, but with a defensive turnover. Also, a win having lost linebacker Nakobe Dean, who left early with a hamstring injury. Also, a win with right tackle Lane Johnson and defensive tackle Jalen Carter likely to return for next Sunday’s game at Buffalo.

Glass half empty: Another ugly win — against a poor team, a win despite a skittish $5 million kicker who has missed five of his last 11 kicks; a win in which Hurts continued an inconsistent season; a win in which the coaching staff seemed unprepared with a game plan that seemed uninspired.”

What the Bills are saying about the Eagles

Allen, who has faced off against the Eagles only twice in his career, knows not to underestimate the reigning champs.

“Well, they got a lot of studs on that side,” Allen told reporters. “Their front, they get after the quarterback. They’ve got two of the best linebackers in the game. A shutdown corner. They rotate well. Got a safety from Wyoming that’s a stud. They got a lot of dogs on that side of the ball. We got to make sure we have a good week of game planning. Ultimately, it’s going to come down to who executes better on Sunday.”

Here’s more from what they are saying…

» READ MORE: Eagles Week 17 film preview: What to look for against the Buffalo Bills

Cornerback Tre’Davius White: “It’s going to take all 11 guys on deck this week,” White said. “We got to play the whole field. Be able to cover the whole field. These guys do a great job of exploding the ball each and every direction, through the air, on the run. So we’re going to have to be able to try to limit the big-time plays. This is an explosive offense. It’s going to be on us as a defense to communicate well and play well as a group.”

Head coach Sean McDermott: “Very talented roster,” McDermott, who grew up just outside of Philly, told reporters. “They’ve done a great job building it in particular with the key positions. Numbers are numbers. And numbers can indicate certain things. But they can also not tell the full story. We know who Saquon [Barkley] is. I mean, he’s a Hall of Fame player. Their offensive line, very talented as well. … It’s a tough unit to stop. And the run game in particular is real. I know what the numbers say, and I’m not buying the numbers.”

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