The 2019 season is behind us, but the stories live on. Every week brought a different narrative and we look back on the season to tell those stories through the plays that defined the game. Sit back and get ready for the tale of Week 8:
Philadelphia Eagles at Buffalo Bills
Next up on the slate was the inconsistent Philadelphia Eagles. Sitting at 3-4, Philly had quality wins and embarrassing losses to their name. The weather forecast called for rain and Gale force winds, promising a fast game with the ball mostly on the ground. A one-dimensional Eagles’ offense sounded a lot like easy pickings for the Bills.
Unfortunately the weather forecast never seemed to reach the eyes and ears of the home team. Buffalo seemed completely unprepared for the run much of the game, allowing a season-high 218 yards on the ground. All that while the Eagles had a 41/24 split between run/pass. Precisely as would be expected. The Bills went the opposite direction, throwing 34 times and rushing only 20. The, ahem, unconventional game plan led to an embarrassing loss.
Josh Allen fumble (Q1, 13:40)
This unfortunately set a tone for the day. While he only lost one, Josh Allen fumbled three times. This particular one ended the drive. Quick pressure from the Eagles was another theme, much to the chagrin of Bills fans.
Josh Allen incomplete pass (Q2, 6:12)
Anyone sitting in the stands waiting for the game to start was expecting a run-heavy game plan. Instead, they got sub-50% completions from Josh Allen as the elements and visitors combined to wreak havoc on the passing game. Allen fans would do well to forget this performance despite mitigating circumstances.
Long touchdown run allowed (Q3, 14:14)
As noted, the Eagles ran for over 200 yards in Buffalo’s worst rush defense performance of the season. Certainly a lot of the volume was a result of the Eagles attempting it so many times, but this run was a big difference maker too. This single play elevated the Eagles’ yards per rush from 3.8 to 5.3 yards per carry. That’s not to discount the run as a fluke. A big play or two should be expected in every game and it’s no surprise it came in the run game as a result of the high number of attempts.
Devin Singletary touchdown (Q3, 9:44)
The Buffalo Bills didn’t find a lot to celebrate on offense, scoring only 13 points. You might be wondering why this play is selected then. As we see above with the Eagles, the occasional success story for the Bills occurred on a passing play in large part thanks to their heavily skewed passing plan. Devin Singletary takes this short pass to the house. With six targets, he had more opportunity for a big passing play than a running one with only three carries on the day. Frank Gore had nine and Allen had eight. And that was it.
Carson Wentz run (Q4, 11:35)
Despite everything that had happened to this point, Buffalo was only down by 11 points. With 11:35 left on the clock and the Eagles at 3rd and 10, the Bills should have had plenty of time to get back in the game. Instead, they allowed Carson Wentz to convert a third down—for the second time on this drive. This eight-minute drive resulted in a touchdown and left the Bills with just over six minutes to score 17.
Poll
Which play best defines the Bills’ loss to the Eagles?
This poll is closed
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10%
Josh Allen fumble
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9%
Josh Allen incomplete pass
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58%
Long touchdown run allowed
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1%
Devin Singletary touchdown
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19%
Carson Wentz converts third down