Buffalo Rumblings
The Buffalo Bills are now 11-4, and they still have a slim chance at reclaiming the lead in the AFC East with just two weeks to play in the 2025 NFL regular season. It hasn’t always looked pretty, Buffalo has seldom made things easy, and there remain plenty of questions about the team’s group of wide receivers and a run defense that doesn’t get the job done more often than is preferred.
Still, in a season where so many of the usual powerhouse clubs are wilting, the Bills keep winning despite their flaws. What does the mean for Buffalo? We’ll find out the bigger answers eventually, but let’s look at their odds in Week 17.
Entering Week 17, FanDuel Sportsbook has the Bills opening as 2.5-point favorites (-2.5) at home over the Philadelphia Eagles — with an opening over/under set at O/U 46.5. The money line opened at -152 for Buffalo and +128 for Philly.
Are you surprised by these odds? Remember, Philadelphia is the defending Super Bowl champ.
Much has been written about Buffalo’s struggles passing the football, with the least amount of concern levied at quarterback Josh Allen. He’s still producing, but it’s more akin to sifting for diamonds on the moon. Things just haven’t clicked with any wide receiver other than Khalil Shakir (and the group of tight ends).
The same has been true of the Eagles, where running back Saquon Barkley looks human again, and the passing attack is an adventure in most games. But like Buffalo, the Eagles just keep winning most weeks. It should make for an interesting game in Week 17.
Philadelphia has clinched a playoff birth, while Buffalo still has more to play for as a team whose playoff seeding isn’t yet finalized. A win in Week 17 keeps the Bills’ hopes of winning the AFC East a seventh-consecutive time in play, and would do well to maintain or improve their playoff seeding regardless.
The last time Buffalo and Philly faced each other is a game most of Bills Mafia remembers well. Back in 2023, the Bills lost a heart-breaker in overtime, 37-34 at Lincoln Financial Field in some truly foul weather. Numerous moments remain engraved in Bills Mafia’s collective conscious, from the no-call-roughing-the-passer/intentional-grounding-on-Josh-Allen, to all-time field goals in a downpour, and of course Allen and wide receiver Gabe Davis being on opposite pages during an end zone play in overtime.
The Bills and Eagles have played each other 15 times, dating back to 1973. Philadelphia leads the series 9-6. Since Josh Allen and head coach Sean McDermott joined the Bills, Buffalo is 0-2 against Philly. It’s the last franchise left for both men to claim victory over. Will Allen and McDermott finally complete their tour of the NFL in Week 17?
It will be important to watch Buffalo’s injury reports this week, as Allen suffered an ankle injury just before halftime in Week 16. During his postgame interview with CBS sideline...
