Buffalo Bills: 3 keys to victory against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 12

2. Protect the Football

The Bills are difficult to beat, unless they beat themselves.

Since the beginning of the 2022 season — and including the playoffs — the Bills have lost nine games, with eight of those losses coming when they've lost the turnover battle. Fortunately, the Bills played a (mostly) mistake-free game against the Jets this past week. For the first time in weeks, the Bills offense wasn't giving their opponents free possessions in plus-territory.

But can Buffalo build on that momentum?

The Bills are facing an Eagle opponent that is ranked near the bottom in the league with only 13 takeaways this season, including just five interceptions. For a Bills team that's found just about every opportunity to turnover the ball this season, they've got an opportunity to win the turnover battle against an Eagles defense that's struggled to make splash plays — something that's been a different story for the Bills own defense.

Albeit against a Zach Wilson and Tim Boyle-led offense, the Bills had four takeaways against the Jets this past weekend. After going six straight games without catching an interception, the Bills defense snatched two against the Jets, putting their total takeaway number at 19 this season — good for a three-way tie at third-best in the NFL, with the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers.

While Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is the odds-on favourite to win the NFL's Most Valuable Player award this season, according to Fanduel sportsbook, he's turned the ball over twelve times — that's only three less times than the Bills own quarterback Josh Allen.

The moral of the story is that Buffalo has an opportunity to win the turnover battle in Philadelphia this weekend, and if they do that, there's a chance they can pull of an upset.