The Buffalo Bills entered Week 17 with a slim shot at winning the AFC East and maybe even riding some chaos to the No. 1 seed in the AFC bracket. Of course, the team’s struggles throughout the season are the biggest reason why Buffalo wasn’t in a position to do that in the first place, despite Kansas City and Cincinnati being eliminated early.
Those same issues reared their head against the Philadelphia Eagles, as the Bills lost in grueling fashion in front of a rain-soaked crowd at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. In the process, the Bills are guaranteed to be a Wild Card team, as the New England Patriots have clinched their first AFC East title since 2019.
Now the Bills head into postseason play with their kryptonite this season laid bare in front of the NFL world.
Buffalo Bills paid the price for slow starts and protection breakdowns once again
The Bills started slow again, an issue they’ve survived multiple times this season. While Allen made another comeback bid, the Bills fell a point short after a blocked extra kick and a failed two-point conversion. Those aspects, while frustrating, are circumstantial to this one game.
Unfortunately, though, Buffalo lost to Philadelphia in the trenches, which is something other teams can follow in January. While the rainy conditions lent some expectation that both teams would lean on their strong running games, the defenses on both sides came prepared. Explosive plays occurred in the passing game for both teams, but Philly certainly carried the edge in that area throughout the contest.
Bills fans know all too well the struggles of the passing game, but the Eagles just gave the AFC playoff field the recipe to beat the Bills in the postseason: Bring the heat on Josh Allen and force him to make magic on his own, literally.
Allen was sacked five times, bringing his season total to 40, a new single-season high in his career. While Allen was able to hit a couple of deep throws, one early to Brandin Cooks and another late to Tyrell Shavers, there was no consistency in the passing game because of the pressure Allen faced.
With Philly dominating up front, corralling the rushing attack and putting pressure on Allen, the Bills and their star quarterback were forced into making unforced errors, such as the fumble in the first quarter and the 19-yard sack he took in the fourth. Those were the type of plays that put Buffalo in such a hole that they couldn’t capitalize on their defense holding Philadelphia to just 16 yards in the second half.
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Obviously, the Bills have as good a chance in the postseason as any of the other 13 teams that will be in the field. Still, if teams can force Allen into playing Superman while he doesn’t have much of a Justice League around him, then they will be able to exploit the team’s kryptonite.
With dominant pass rush units in Denver, Houston, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles waiting in the postseason, it won’t be easy for the Bills’ offense to overcome such a detrimental shortcoming in the playoffs.