The Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles have been a pair of National Football League powerhouses for the past number of years. The Eagles won their second Super Bowl last season while the Bills are still looking for their first.
It appeared the Bills chances for capturing their first-ever franchise Super Bowl were better before this season started. They have been on a somewhat down trajectory since Josh Allen and company suffered a pair of losses heading into their mid-October bye week and are likely not going to open the playoffs at home.
While the Eagles are the defending champs they simply don’t seem to have the team rhythm they enjoyed in 2024. Their offense, which was explosive on the ground with Saquon Barkley leading the way last season, appears a bit unsure with game plans not fully taking advantage of either their ground or passing attack. This team got into the problem of star players seemingly focused on something other than team goals, and the coaching staff appeared bent on appeasing them with play calling that didn’t best serve the objective of winning the game.
Still, despite both the Bills and Eagles not having records or the look of invincibility as they have in recent campaigns, they both have already qualified for the playoffs. The Eagles get the benefit of playing out of a division with three other teams that are all saddled with losing records, namely the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Commanders and New York Giants in the NFC East Division.
The Bills are unfortunate this season to be competing against an opponent in the AFC East that has a record as good as any team in the league and are one-game better than the Bills in their division race. The New England Patriots, behind Most Valuable Player candidate Drake Maye, are 12-3 this season. The Bills are one game off that pace.
The Eagles have won one less and lost one more than the Bills, but their 10-5 mark is good enough to have already clinched their division title.
It is worth noting that for the past few seasons the three best teams in the AFC have been the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Bills. This year, the Chiefs are already eliminated from playoff competition, and the Ravens chances are hanging by a thread after they failed to assist the Bills last week while losing at home to Mike Vrabel’s Patriots.
If the Bills were to catch the Patriots, they would need to win out, and the Patriots would have to get tripped up by either the New York Jets or Miami Dolphins.
I know anything is possible in the NFL, but having the Patriots lose to the Dolphins on the final day of the regular season is only realistically possible if New England has already wrapped up their playoff position and don’t need the game.
On Sunday, when the Eagles visit the Bills, we have the already division winning Eagles still in hopes of improving their playoff position by catching the Bears in the standings. Chicago leads the NFC North Division with a record one game better than Philadelphia.
The Bills still have an outside chance at a division title and are in need of a couple wins over the final two weeks of the season to avoid slipping below the number five seed. They have strong competition for that playoff slot from the Los Angeles Chargers and whoever comes in second in the AFC South race between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans.
At Highmark Stadium on Sunday afternoon, we have two high quality teams, not enjoying their best seasons, and looking to hit an end of the season stride in their quest to either repeat or win their first ever Super Bowl.
I like Allen at home with first place still in his grasp.
Qoxhi Picks: Buffalo Bills (-1½) over Philadelphia Eagles