Bills vs. Eagles: Full Philadelphia Game Preview

The Philadelphia Eagles enter Week 14 with new life as they return home to face the Buffalo Bills at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday. 

The Eagles pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the season when they travelled to Foxborough, Massachusetts, and beat the New England Patriots 35-28 at Gillette Stadium last week. Before the game, Philadelphia's season seemed doomed, but now the team is right back in the playoff hunt with a 5-7 record.

Three teams sit tied at the top of the NFC East with only five wins. The New York Giants blew a lead to fall to their city rivals, the Jets, in overtime. Additionally, the Washington Redskins faltered late as they lost a late thriller to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night. With three teams tied for first in the division, and the Cowboys only one game behind the pack, the next four weeks will determine the winner of the NFC East.

First up, the Eagles need to take care of business at home this Sunday against the Bills. Buffalo comes into the game fresh off a 30-21 win over the streaking Houston Texans. With the win, the Bills move to 6-6 but remain in third place in the AFC East.

Let's take a look at some of the news and key figures heading into the Week 14 clash between the Eagles and Bills.

Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia

Time: 1 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

Week 13 Results and Recap

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Last week, the Eagles held on for a roller-coaster 35-28 victory over the New England Patriots that featured long scoring streaks by both teams.

New England started the scoring as Tom Brady found James White for a touchdown on the first play of the second quarter. Then the Patriots added another touchdown as Danny Amendola found himself open in the end zone following a late switch from Walter Thurmond. New England looked poised for a route, but Bill Belichick got greedy.

Already up by 14, the Patriots tried to surprise the Eagles with an onside-kick routine, but instead they gave the Eagles great field position when the play failed. Starting from their own 41-yard line, the Eagles marched down the field as they featured both Darren Sproles and Kenjon Barner heavily. To cap off the drive, Sam Bradford found Zach Ertz in the back of the end zone to give Philadelphia life.

Late in the second quarter, Philadelphia received a spark from its special teams as New England was forced to punt with under two minutes remaining. Chris Maragos found himself free and exploded through the protection to block the punt. Najee Goode capitalized on the opportunity and ran the loose ball back for a touchdown to help tie the game just before halftime.

However, Philadelphia looked like it was on the ropes at the start of the second half. The Patriots marched right down the field and looked likely to score a touchdown. But Brady tried to force a pass to Amendola. Malcolm Jenkins came away with the interception and returned it 99 yards to help give Philadelphia the seven-point lead. 

The surprise impact plays continued for Philadelphia as Sproles broke off an 83-yard punt return for a touchdown. The stars seemed to be aligning for the Eagles. The offense got involved in the action as well with an 80-yard touchdown drive that helped give the Eagles a 21-point lead following Jordan Matthews' reception in the end zone.

The Eagles looked comfortably in the lead, but the Patriots continued to fight and claw back. Brady led two consecutive touchdown drives in the fourth quarter to make the Eagles nervous.

Then, as it looked like Philadelphia would be able to run the clock out, Barner fumbled the ball to give New England one last chance. But the Eagles defense held on and forced a turnover on downs to seal the victory.

News and Notes

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DeMarco Murray 

DeMarco Murray's inaugural season in Philadelphia has not gone according to plan for both the player and the team. The running back continues to struggle, leading to fewer and fewer touches on offense.

The recently signed tailback took his playing-time concerns straight to the top following Sunday's game against the Patriots, as he talked to owner Jeffrey Lurie about how he fits into the team's plans, according to ESPN NFL Insider Ed Werder.

Murray's frustration is not a surprise after he ran for only 24 yards on eight carries against New England. But Kelly's decision to look elsewhere for production is not surprising, as Murray has struggled to be effective this season. The 27-year-old has averaged only 3.5 yards per carry this season, as he has run for 569 yards on 163 attempts.

The last thing Philadelphia wants as it tries to make a playoff push is an unhappy superstar in its locker room, but the tailback seems to be sorting through his issues with the team privately thus far.

Miles Austin

Philadelphia wasted no time this week as it decided to cut veteran wide receiver Miles Austin, according to ESPN.com's Phil Sheridan.

The Eagles signed Austin to a one-year contract worth $2.3 million this past offseason. This move comes after head coach Chip Kelly decided to leave Austin as inactive this past weekend. Instead, Philadelphia promoted wide receiver Jonathan Krause from the practice squad, and the new face had one catch for four yards against the Patriots.

Before this weekend, Austin played in all of Philadelphia's first 11 games, and he contributed 224 yards and a touchdown on 13 catches. Beyond the numbers, the 31-year-old provided experience to an overall youthful position. Now the most senior presence at wide receiver is 28-year-old Riley Cooper.

The move to part ways with Austin is not a surprise and does not hurt the overall talent of the roster, but the decision does leave the Eagles with one fewer veteran in the locker room.

Latest Injury News

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Philadelphia's injury luck seems to be turning around as the team's list of ailments continues to get shorter and less severe. The Eagles may also see the return of one of their key offensive players this week.

Ryan Mathews returned to practice Tuesday with a helmet following a concussion and lingering groin injury, according to CSNPhilly.com's Dave Zangaro.

The tailback missed the last three games after suffering a concussion against the Miami Dolphins, but Mathews' return to practice is a good sign that he is progressing through the NFL concussion process. The 28-year-old was listed as a limited participant at Wednesday's practice, according to Philadelphia's official injury report.

Although still not fully healthy, Mathews looks likely to return this weekend against Buffalo and would add another dimension to Philadelphia's backfield.

The only player who did not participate in Wednesday's practice was defensive tackle Bennie Logan as he continues to recover from a knee injury. If Logan is unable to play, the Eagles will need to rely on Beau Allen in the middle of their defensive line.

As a whole, Mathews and Logan were the only players limited in practice because of injures. Other players such as Lane Johnson and Eric Rowe found themselves on the injury report, but they participated fully in practice.

Key Matchup

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This week features the return of one of Philadelphia's key players from the last few seasons as LeSean McCoy returns to play at Lincoln Financial Field in a Bills uniform.

Kelly made waves this offseason when he decided to trade the fan-favorite running back for Kiko Alonso. Now the linebacker will be tasked with the challenge of slowing down the player on the other side of his trade.

As an entire unit, Buffalo ranks fourth in the NFL, as it averages 140.9 rushing yards per game. Its deadly ground game features not only talented running backs but also a dual-threat quarterback in Tyrod Taylor.

On the other side, Philadelphia is near the bottom of the league, as it gives up 124.7 yards per game on the ground. The Eagles have given up big yardage to tailbacks at times this season, such as Tampa Bay's Doug Martin, who tagged Philadelphia for 235 yards a few weeks ago.

McCoy is putting together a successful first season for Buffalo thus far, as he averages 4.6 yards per carry. Last week, he ran for 121 yards on 21 carries against a touted Houston defense. 

Meanwhile, Alonso's season is likely considered a disappointment. The inside linebacker suffered a knee injury earlier in the season that forced him to miss some significant time. Since returning, Alonso looks slower and still troubled by his knee. The supposed athletic playmaker has not made any game-changing plays since his interception in the first game of the season against Atlanta, and he only has 21 combined tackles through seven games.

Buffalo's rushing attack against Philadelphia's defense will be an important matchup this weekend. But the performances of McCoy and Alonso individually will be more intriguing to see how satisfied each team is with its side of the deal.

Matchup X-Factor

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Philadelphia's backfield is the source of a lot of talk this week, as Murray's future with the Eagles is uncertain because of his current frustrations and productions. A lot of eyes will be on the running back this Sunday, but more attention should be on his counterpart, Ryan Mathews.

Mathews' status for this weekend's game is still uncertain, but he looks likely to play following his return to practice. If Mathews can suit up against Buffalo, he can make a big impact in this game.

In fact, prior to his concussion, Mathews was the talk of the town because of his strong performances. When healthy, he is most likely Philadelphia's best option at running back, as he averages 5.7 yards per carry. The tailback finds success in Kelly's scheme, as he combines a tough running style with quick decisions, and he also possesses the speed to explode downfield if he gets to the corner. 

Mathews still leads the team with five rushing touchdowns and is second on the team with 427 rushing yards and 75 carries. The tailback brings a different dimension to Philadelphia's backfield, as he can gain the tough yards or break a long run like he did with his 63-yard scamper earlier this season.

Each week, a different player features heavily for Philadelphia. After Sproles put on a show last week in the rushing attack, passing attack and special teams, Mathews could carry some of the load this weekend. If healthy, the 28-year-old could push Murray even further down the pecking order on Sunday.

Prediction: Eagles 27, Bills 17

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Philadelphia is somehow still alive in the playoff picture, as someone needs to be crowned the champion of the NFC East. But the Eagles need to show up in their final four games if they hope to win the division and enter the playoffs with any momentum.

Last week's victory over New England should be a confidence boost for Philadelphia, but aspects of its performance looked more like a fluke than something it can rely on. The Eagles will not get 21 points from their defense and special teams every week, so their offense will have to show up against Buffalo. The offense was not on the field much last week, but it moved the ball effectively when given the chance.

In particular, Bradford looks to be gaining confidence in Kelly's system after struggling to start the season. The quarterback only threw for 120 yards last week, but he completed two touchdown passes and avoided the fatal turnover. Beyond the stats, Bradford also looks more composed in the pocket and fired up on the field, rather than sulking on the sideline like he did at times earlier this year.

On the other side, Buffalo comes into the game with its own level of self-belief following its victory over Houston. But the Bills have only put together back-to-back wins one other time this season when they beat the Dolphins and Jets a few weeks ago.

A lot of the focus this Sunday will be on McCoy's return to Philadelphia, and he is certainly a big part of Buffalo's success. On the other side, Murray's frustrations are clear, and people will be watching to see if it helps or hurts his play on the field. However, the Eagles have other options if Murray's head is not in the game.

This weekend's game will come down to Philadelphia's ability to force turnovers defensively and protect the ball offensively. If the defense can give Kelly's offense favorable field position, Bradford will be able to facilitate the offense and get the ball into the hands of playmakers such as Sproles, Mathews and company.

With the playoff race heating up, the Eagles take care of business in front of the home crowd as they gain momentum for a late-season run.

Prediction: Eagles 27, Bills 17