Two playoff-bound teams with something to prove meet Sunday when the Philadelphia Eagles visit the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, N.Y.
The NFC East champion Eagles (10-5) want to show the doubters that their resurgent ground game is legitimate and not built on the backs of lesser opponents.
The Bills (11-4) are one game behind the New England Patriots in the AFC East race with two games left and need to prove to themselves that they can stop the run.
Cold temperatures, a chance of precipitation and a heavy dose of Saquon Barkley are all in the forecast for the Week 17 clash at Highmark Stadium, where Buffalo is 6-1 this season.
Barkley has rushed for 332 yards with three touchdowns in the last three games to top the 1,000-yard mark for the fifth time in his career. The Eagles are averaging 4.9 yards per carry during that span, which included an overtime road loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, a shutout of the Las Vegas Raiders and a 29-18 road win last weekend against the Washington Commanders.
“We’re starting to hit our stride and look to build upon that,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said Wednesday.
The Bills have won four straight games to keep the pressure on the Patriots despite their struggles against the run. Buffalo ranks 30th in rushing defense (144.3 yards per game) and allows a whopping 5.4 yards per carry — second-most in the NFL to the New York Giants (5.5). Nobody has allowed as many touchdowns on the ground (24) as the Bills.
After allowing a season-high 246 rushing yards (and four TDs) in a Week 15 win at New England, Buffalo surrendered 160 yards on the ground in a 23-20 escape at Cleveland last weekend.
“We know who Saquon is. He’s a Hall of Fame player. Their offensive line is very talented as well,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said Tuesday.
“… It’s a tough unit to stop. Their run game in particular is real. I know the numbers say (they’re down compared to last season), but I’m not buying the numbers.”
Philadelphia wants to run the football, chew up the clock and keep reigning MVP quarterback Josh Allen and current NFL rushing leader James Cook (1,532 yards) on the sideline as much as possible.
It’s true that the Bills have more to play for than the Eagles, who are all but locked into the NFC’s No. 3 playoff seed. Philadelphia needs Chicago to lose out to have a chance to move up. Buffalo, which ends the regular season at home against the New York Jets, can still catch New England and win its sixth straight division title.
That said, Sirianni said there is no plan to rest his starters on Sunday.
“You do what you think is best for your football team, and we think playing our guys is the best thing for our football team,” Sirianni said.
“… This is an opportunity for us,” he added. “This is a week that we have to get better.”
Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson, who has missed the last five games with a foot injury, did not practice Wednesday along with left guard Landon Dickerson (illness), linebacker Nakobe Dean (hamstring) and wide receiver A.J. Brown, who reportedly had his wisdom teeth removed. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jalen Carter (shoulders) was a full participant after missing three games.
For the Bills, Allen (foot) was limited Wednesday but expected to play Sunday. Defensive end Joey Bosa (hamstring), defensive tackles DaQuan Jones (calf) and Jordan Phillips (ankle), tight ends Dalton Kincaid (knee) and Dawson Knox (knee), safety Jordan Poyer (hamstring) and kicker Matt Prater (quad) did not practice.
