Eagles Survive Late Bills Rally as Josh Allen’s 2-Point Miss Seals Gritty 13-12 Win
In a game that had all the makings of a playoff preview - cold weather, defensive grit, and late-game drama - the Philadelphia Eagles held off the Buffalo Bills for a 13-12 win in Orchard Park. The difference? A missed opportunity in the final seconds and a game-altering special teams play that shifted the balance just enough in Philly’s favor.
With five ticks left on the clock, Josh Allen barreled into the end zone on a fourth-down plunge, pulling the Bills within one. All that stood between Buffalo and a potential win was a two-point conversion.
Allen had a receiver open in the end zone - but the throw missed its mark. That was the final gasp in a game that saw Buffalo climb back from a 13-0 hole, only to fall just short.
But rewind five minutes earlier, and you’ll find the play that really changed the math: Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter got a hand on the extra point after Buffalo’s first touchdown. That block loomed large down the stretch, forcing the Bills to go for two instead of kicking for the tie. In a game this tight, one fingertip can make all the difference.
“It’s a big-time win,” said Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. “A competitive game, hell of a performance by the defense… they made plays when we needed it the most.”
Hurts wasn’t just giving lip service. Philly’s defense carried the second half, and they had to - because the offense flatlined after halftime.
The Eagles managed just 16 total yards in the final two quarters. Hurts didn’t complete a single pass in the second half, going 0-for-7.
That’s not a typo.
Head coach Nick Sirianni took the blame postgame. “I got to help.
I put it on myself,” he said. “We have to do a better job of helping them be in positions to succeed.”
That second-half drought overshadowed what had been a sharp opening 30 minutes for the Eagles. Hurts was in rhythm early, going 13-of-20 for 110 yards and a touchdown before the break.
Philly scored on three straight drives to open the game, including a 1-yard TD pass to Dallas Goedert, set up by a 27-yard strike to A.J. Brown.
Jake Elliott added a pair of field goals, including a 28-yarder just before halftime to push the lead to 13-0.
One of the game’s more bizarre moments came on a first-half fumble recovery. Allen was sacked and lost the ball, and Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell chased it down 26 yards behind the original line of scrimmage. That hustle play flipped field position and sparked one of Philly’s scoring drives.
But after halftime, the Eagles offense completely stalled. Their only snap in Buffalo territory came on the game-ending kneel-down.
That meant the defense had to dig in - and they delivered. The unit came up with two huge stops in the fourth quarter, first stuffing Buffalo on downs at the 3-yard line, then forcing a punt after the Bills started a drive at the Eagles' 41.
“If you come out of this and you’re just thinking about all the negative things that happened, that makes for a miserable existence,” Sirianni said. “Winning’s hard in this league, and I’m always going to enjoy a win.”
And this one, ugly as it was, counts just the same.
The win pushes Philadelphia to 11-5, locking in their third straight victory as they head into the regular-season finale against Washington. With a playoff spot already clinched, the Eagles are still in the running for the NFC’s No. 2 or No. 3 seed and will open the postseason at home.
Buffalo, also now 11-5, saw its four-game winning streak snapped and, more importantly, watched the AFC East title slip away. The loss hands the division crown to the New England Patriots, meaning the Bills will hit the road as a wild-card team when the playoffs begin. They’ll close the regular season against the New York Jets.
For both teams, Sunday was a reminder of how thin the margins are in December football. A blocked kick, a missed throw, a defense that holds the line - those are the moments that separate contenders from also-rans. And on this rainy afternoon in upstate New York, it was the Eagles who made just enough of them.