The Bills had plenty of numbers on their side against Philadelphia in Week 17, but the final result still slipped away in the rain. On a miserable winter day in Buffalo, the box score tilted toward the home team in almost every meaningful way: more first downs, more rushing efficiency, a huge edge through the air, and a time-of-possession advantage that stretched past 10 minutes. Buffalo also kept the turnover count to just one.
None of it mattered enough in the end.
That’s what made this one so frustrating. The Bills spent much of the afternoon looking like the better team, and even then the game kept turning on the worst possible moments.
Philadelphia didn’t need to dominate the stat sheet. Buffalo’s self-inflicted damage did the heavy lifting.
The first big swing came in the opening quarter with a sack and fumble at 4:10. Of the five sacks Buffalo took, this was the one that really stood out, especially because the next Eagles drive ended with their only touchdown of the game. That sequence set the tone for how the rest of the day would feel for the Bills: close enough to win, but always one bad moment from paying for it.
The missed extra point by Michael Badgley at 5:11 of the fourth quarter belonged on the list too. In a one-point loss, every single point matters, and this one didn’t just leave a point on the board.
It also may have played into another key moment later in the game. It was Badgley’s second and final appearance with Buffalo, and while the miss wasn’t entirely on him, Bills fans were more than ready to see 67-year old Matt Prater return the following week.
Buffalo’s defense did its part for most of the afternoon, and the final stop at 3:36 in the fourth quarter was the one that mattered most. It gave the offense another shot to push for either the tie or the win, which is exactly why it belongs in the conversation for the play that best captures this game.
Then came the one that really delivered the gut punch: the failed two-point try with 0:05 left. After everything Buffalo had survived to get that close, the last chance simply didn’t land.
Which play best defines the Bills’ loss?
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