The Philadelphia Eagles are flying high after defeating New England last week.
The Buffalo Bills win over Houston put them back in the AFC race, and the Philadelphia Eagles upset win over New England put them back in the NFC East race. This is making for a critical game in terms of playoff positioning in both conferences. The matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles is scheduled for Sunday, December 13, 2015, at 1 p.m. ET at Lincoln Financial Field. The game will be broadcast on CBS.
The Bufallo Bills have the NFL’s fourth-best rushing offense this season, averaging 140.9 yards per game. Their passing game is ranked 29th and among the worst in the NFL with Tyrod Taylor at quarterback this season. Running back LeSean McCoy ran for 112 yards last week, the third time in five games he’s had that exact total. He has also rushed for just three touchdowns this season. McCoy spent six seasons in Philadelphia before the offseason trade that sent him to Buffalo in exchange for Kiko Alonso. McCoy isn’t putting up the big numbers he may like but at least he’s having a more productive season than the man who replaced him in Philadelphia, DeMarco Murray. The Bills could be in a good position if McCoy can continue his current hot streak. The Bills defense are 14th in the NFL against the run, allowing 104 rushing yards per game. With the way the Eagles have been running the football, it could be hit-or-miss against the Bills on Sunday afternoon. The Bills pass defense sacked opposing quarterbacks 31 times this season, but they also only have seven interceptions this season, so the Bills will be more likely to bring Bradford down than they will be picking him off. One thing Buffalo does particularly well is force fumbles. The Bills lead the NFL in 18 forced fumbles, but have recovered just seven of those loose footballs.
The Philadelphia Eagles upset the Patriots last week, using two special teams and one defensive touchdown and they did it against a team that doesn’t get beat by special teams. Najee Goode picked up a blocked punt and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown to tie the game. Malcolm Jenkins returned the first-ever interception of Tom Brady by an Eagles player 99-yards for a score and a 21-14 lead. Three minutes later, Darren Sproles raced 83-yards with a punt return. The Eagles managed three touchdowns on 206 yards worth of returns. The Eagles were once again shorthanded in their backfield, as Ryan Mathews remains sidelined with a concussion. Many expected Murray’s opportunities to increase with Mathews out of the lineup, but Murray’s carries went in the opposite direction against the Patriots. The leading running back for the Eagles instead was Darren Sproles, who was on the field for 35 plays and tallied 66 rushing yards on 15 attempts. Kenjon Barner also out-rushed Murray, finishing with 39 yards on nine carries. The Eagles should feel good about what they accomplished in New England, and building on that will help them knock off the Bills at home.
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