Eagles-Bills tale of the tape: Can Saquon Barkley, Philly turn in one more strong showing before the playoffs?

The Eagles head to Buffalo this Sunday to face Josh Allen and the Bills in what would be their last major test of the regular season.

The Birds' work for the rest of the schedule approaching Week 17 is mostly done. They have the NFC East, and they'll likely have the NFC's No. 3 seed in the playoffs at 10-5, but that latter part isn't fully set in stone yet, so there is still reason for the starters to play and to try to push after one more win.

Buffalo, at 11-4, has its own playoff ticket punched on the AFC side, but the Bills still have a chance at catching New England for the AFC East lead, so they also have their reason to keep going at full tilt down the stretch.

So, Sunday will be a battle of two good teams looking for possibly better over the season's final two weeks.

Here's how they compare via the tale of the tape, with advantages bolded…

Offense

Eagles Average Bills
23.3 Pts 28.9
319.6 Total Yds 373.1
197.9 Passing Yds 214.2
121.7 Rushing Yds 158.9
37.7 3rd Down Pct 45.1
61.1 4th Down Pct 58.3
14 Giveaways 18

Defense

Eagles Average Bills
19.3 Pts 22.9
315.7 Total Yds 311.4
192.3 Passing Yds 167.1
123.5 Rushing Yds 144.3
39.8 3rd Down Pct 42.9
32.0 4th Down Pct 56.3
18 Takeaways 20

Leaders

Eagles
PASSING CMP% YDS Y/A TDS INT/SK
Jalen Hurts 65.8 3,114 7.3 24 6 / 31
RUSHING CAR YDS Y/A LG TDS
Saquon Barkley 261 1,072 4.1 65 7
RECEIVING REC YDS Y/A LG TDS
A.J. Brown 73 935 12.8 45 7
Bills
PASSING CMP% YDS Y/A TDS INT/SK
Josh Allen 69.6 3,406 8.0 25 10 / 35
RUSHING CAR YDS Y/A LG TDS
James Cook III 287 1,532 5.3 64 12
RECEIVING REC YDS Y/A LG TDS
Khalil Shakir 66 684 10.4 54 4

Series history and previous matchup

The Eagles lead the all-time series against the Bills at 9-6-0.

They last faced one another at Lincoln Financial Field in Week 12 of the 2023 season, in what became one of that year's most memorable efforts.

Jalen Hurts led a fourth-quarter comeback that closed a 10-point gap and Jake Elliott, with seconds left and with Buffalo having gone back up late, nailed a 59-yard field goal through the pouring rain to force overtime.

JAKE ELLIOTT FROM 59 YARDS IN THE RAIN
📺: #BUFvsPHI on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/1dOevJjoZZ pic.twitter.com/pIpxrFF6R7

— NFL (@NFL) November 27, 2023

Hurts led the Eagles, dressed in their Kelly Green throwbacks, back down the field in the extra frame, then kept it himself on the final play to run in the winning touchdown for a 37-34 final.

The Eagles improved to 10-1 with that win, and though they had clear concerns all over the field, they kept somehow finding their way by, and that miserable rainy day against Buffalo was the pinnacle of it.

JALEN. HURTS. WALK-OFF. TOUCHDOWN.
How it sounded on Bills radio "And that… is that." pic.twitter.com/Tgv6E8ZC3F

— Nick Piccone (@_piccone) November 27, 2023

It never had to look pretty, the general thought about that year's team at the time went, the job just had to get done.

The 2023 Eagles did…until they suddenly couldn't anymore following that week. The season spiraled fast after that, and fans still carry the scars from it even after the team regrouped and bounced back a year later to win the Super Bowl.

And it's part of why the 2025 Eagles might want to turn in one more strong showing this week.

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