Each week, I dive into the film of the Eagles’ upcoming opponent to get a feel for who they really are. Think of it less as a stats preview and more as an overview of what shows up repeatedly on film, and what the Eagles will be facing.
Pass Game
The Buffalo Bills’ offense has quietly evolved this season into something far more controlled, without losing its explosiveness. Josh Allen is still capable of superhero moments, but the foundation of the offense is now built on efficiency, spacing, and sequencing. One interesting note is that they rarely ask a receiver or a tight end to block, so they put a lot of faith in their offensive line and really stress defenses’ zone coverages.
You’ll see far fewer forced throws and far more deliberate manipulation of defenders. If you look at Allen’s numbers, he has a lot fewer big-time throws, fewer turnover-worthy plays, and fewer tight-window throws than you would expect. This is not the same Josh Allen. Allen is taking underneath completions, using eye discipline and subtle shoulder fakes to freeze linebackers, and repeatedly funneling the ball to his tight ends, particularly Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox, who function as the engine of the passing game.
This tight end emphasis isn’t by design, in my opinion. I think it’s because they lack receiving talent. Because of this, Buffalo wants to stress the middle of the field, especially against zone coverage, and they do so through condensed formations, under-center play-action, and layered in-breakers to the tight ends.
They will use a lot of motion and misdirection, and they use James Cook very effectively as a receiver, too.
Allen has been excellent at attacking intermediate windows off play action, and when defenses cover the tight ends well, he’s perfectly comfortable pulling the ball down and scrambling. In fact, his second-reaction ability is arguably the best feature of this pass game. When plays break down, Allen doesn’t just escape pressure. He turns broken structure into explosive offense, often late in downs. He’s exceptional out of structure.
This presents a real challenge for the Eagles. The Eagles have struggled against mobile quarterbacks who extend plays, and Allen is among the most dangerous in the NFL in that regard. He scrambles frequently under pressure, and he’s perfectly willing to punish undisciplined rush lanes. If the Eagles lose contain once the play breaks down, Buffalo will generate explosive plays even when the coverage initially wins.
One important note: Allen is managing a foot injury. It hasn’t removed his mobility, but it may affect how much Buffalo asks him to carry the offense physically. That uncertainty matters because if Allen is even slightly limited in escaping pressure, the Eagles’ defensive front suddenly becomes much more dangerous and the Bills’ offense becomes less intimidating. He’s also still Josh Allen, and despite being unbelievable, he makes some horrendous mistakes.
Buffalo’s pass protection is unconventional by design. They frequently send five receivers into routes, leaving Allen without built-in answers if protection breaks down. This puts enormous responsibility on the offensive line’s communication and on Allen’s processing. To their credit, the line has held up better than expected, and their interior communication is good. That said, the protection philosophy carries inherent risk. When interior pressure arrives quickly, Allen is forced into improvisation, and while he’s elite at creating out of structure, it also exposes him to hits and potential mistakes.
Run Game
Buffalo’s run game is no longer a complementary piece to the Josh Allen show. It’s the foundation of the offense. James Cook has transformed into a legitimate workhorse who thrives in under-center looks and downhill concepts. The Bills want to dictate terms physically, leaning on duo and inside zone to force defenses into uncomfortable decisions. Cook’s vision and burst allow Buffalo to punish overaggressive fronts, and his ability to make explosive runs without perfect blocking is central to their offensive identity. Cook is one of the best backs I have watched this year. He makes defenders miss, is explosive as hell, and is always a threat to take it to the house. He’s been one of the best backs in the NFL this year.
What stands out on film is how married the run game is to the passing structure. Buffalo’s play-action looks mirrors their base runs almost perfectly, which forces linebackers to step downhill and creates space behind them. This becomes especially potent in the red zone and on early downs, where Buffalo is content to stay patient and avoid negative plays. It’s a creative run game and they run the same concepts a lot, but dress them up differently.
For the Eagles, this is where the game may be won or lost defensively. Buffalo wants to be physical inside, and if the Eagles fail to anchor the interior, they’ll be forced to commit extra bodies to the run, opening up those play-action windows Allen thrives in. Jordan Davis’ ability to control the middle will be critical, especially with the Bills preferring under-center runs that attack straight ahead rather than stretching defenses horizontally. Get used to seeing a fullback and good blocking tight ends, something the Eagles will not have seen in practice much this season!
Final Thoughts
Buffalo’s offense is extremely difficult to stop when it’s in rhythm. The blend of under-center runs and Allen’s improvisational brilliance creates constant stress on a defense. The Eagles are capable of matching up talent-wise, especially on the outside, but discipline will be everything. Lose rush integrity or overcommit to the run, and Allen will punish you. If Allen’s injury limits his escapability even slightly, though, the Eagles have a real chance to dominate this offense if they can stop the run. This is a unit that will really test the Eagles’ defense.
Thank you for reading! I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to comment below and ask any questions. If you enjoyed this piece, you can find more of my work and podcast here. If you would like to support me further, please check out my Patreon here!
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