Eagles Invalidated Wins Against Raiders, Commanders

The tone of conversations can’t shift in other cities quite like it can in Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia Eagles slipped into a three-game losing streak in Weeks 12-14 that sent shockwaves of panic through a fan base that euphorically cheered a Super Bowl parade just months earlier. Struggles on offense cast doubt on any odds of repeating.

Consecutive Eagles wins against the Las Vegas Raiders and the Washington Commanders turned the conversation back in a positive direction.

The offense looked sharp against weak opponents out of playoff contention. However, a looming showdown with the Buffalo Bills was going to validate or invalidate the progress and any optimism generated from two runaway wins by a combined score of 50-18.

A thrilling Week 17 road victory was, on paper, the most impressive win of the season. However, the sharpest possible contrast of performances on offense and defense dampens the level of optimism in a way that is remarkably typical of the Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni era.

While bad teams are bad teams at all points in the calendar, the strength of an opponent becomes more prevalent late in an NFL season. Teams like the Raiders and the Commanders lack continuity and direction – and in the cases of matchups against the Eagles, their starting quarterbacks. Playoff teams conversely develop winning identities and gameplans down the stretch.

The Eagles executed well in the passing game and the running game in two cakewalk victories. They mixed under-center looks and a play-action passing game more effectively than at other points earlier in the season.

However, they invalidated the progress with a brutal road effort in Orchard Park. 

They followed up their only two impressive offensive performances since a Week 9 bye with yet another clunker. The most expensive offense in the NFL gained only 190 yards. They moved the chains once in five possessions during the second half while Buffalo dominated ball control.

The Eagles finished the evening well below the NFL medium with -0.98 EPA per drive and a 30% success rate that was their worst of the 2025 season, according to TruMedia.

The Bills stacked the box successfully to contain Saquon Barkley in any and all formations. Despite entering as the NFL's 31st-ranked rush defense measured by opponent EPA, they consistently beat a battered Philadelphia offensive line that's left their All-Pro running back vulnerable to hits in the backfield too often throughout the season.

The win against the Bills should and shouldn’t inspire Eagles fans to feel confident about a looming playoff run.

An aggressive defensive front led by Jalen Carter and Zack Baun physically punished Buffalo. Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean locked down the secondary as well as any NFL tandem you’ll see in a modern era dominated by offense.

The Eagles face Washington for the second time in the regular-season finale. Discrediting their own progress from the first win against the weakened NFC East foe essentially discounts their ability to inspire any confidence with a strong offensive performance.

Sirianni will weigh the advantages of competing for the second seed in the NFC against resting players entering the playoffs. One thing that shouldn’t enter his decision whether or not to play key starters is the interest of developing an offensive rhythm against a bad opponent – because the Eagles already proved it worthless.