For the Buffalo Bills, Week 17 against the Philadelphia Eagles presents a challenge that starts on the perimeter and works its way inward.
Philadelphia’s passing game thrives when Jalen Hurts is allowed to play on schedule, scanning the field comfortably and delivering the football in rhythm. And disrupting that rhythm begins with Buffalo’s cornerback duo of Christian Benford and Tre White, whose matchup against A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith could ultimately define the outcome in a matchup of two of the NFL's elites.
Taking the layers back a bit, Brown and Smith are as complete a wide receiver duo as there is in football. Brown brings physicality and dominance through contact, while Smith wins with precision, tempo, and elite route detail in the intermediate areas. And when Hurts is protected and able to operate in what effectively becomes seven-on-seven football, the tandem can be devastating.
Windows open on digs, crossers, and glance routes, allowing the Eagles to stay ahead of the chains and dictate terms, and when they can dictate those terms through the air, before ever turning it over to Saquon Barkley, it's when they're at their best.
Buffalo Bills' approach hinges on shrinking throwing windows and forcing the Eagles to win the hard way.
Buffalo’s answer must be rooted in intelligent aggression and disruption. Benford and White are at their best when playing assertive and aggressive in coverage, getting hands on receivers early and forcing routes off their intended landmarks -- the goal is not simply to contest catches, but to make Brown and Smith work for every rep in the intermediate zones where Philadelphia does much of its damage. And if those routes are delayed even a half-second, the entire structure of the Eagles’ passing game begins to fray.
That disruption directly benefits the Bills’ front four, as well. Philadelphia’s offensive line has been banged up all year, and while still talented, it is far less imposing when forced to sustain protection for extended plays.
Because press coverage on the outside shortens Hurts’ internal clock, creating opportunities for Buffalo’s pass rush to collapse the pocket without sending extra bodies. And when the Bills can generate pressure with four, it allows the rest of the defense to stay sound, limiting explosive plays.
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It's where playing complementary football becomes critical. If Benford and White succeed in shrinking throwing windows and forcing Hurts to hesitate, the Bills can flip field position and regain control of tempo. Short fields and extra possessions for Buffalo’s offense become realistic outcomes, particularly against an Eagles defense that has shown vulnerability in sustained drives.
Buffalo doesn't need to eliminate Brown and Smith -- that's just not reality. But if they can disrupt timing, contest space, and force Hurts to make perfect throws, the Bills’ defensive plan unlocks pressure up front -- and with it, a path to success in a pivotal ballgame.