Bills vs. Eagles: What's the Game Plan for Philadelphia?

The Philadelphia Eagles return home this week on a high as they take on the Buffalo Bills at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday afternoon.

Philadelphia held on for one of the biggest upsets of the season as it travelled to Gillette Stadium and handed New England its second straight loss in a 35-28 victory. The Eagles playoff chances are still alive as they are tied with the New York Giants and Washington Redskins for the best record in the NFC East at only 5-7. The Dallas Cowboys are only one game behind the pack after beating the Redskins last Monday night to move to 4-8.

The next four weeks will determine the winner of the NFC East. The last two weeks of the season will determine a lot as Philadelphia finishes off the regular season with divisional games against the Redskins and Giants. However, the Eagles need to take care of business this weekend first against the Bills in order to not fall behind.

On the other side, Buffalo comes into Week 14 following its 30-21 victory over the then-streaking Houston Texans. The Bills are now 6-6 and sit in third place in the AFC East as New England still remains in clear control of the division. 

This week features several storylines, including the return of LeSean McCoy to the team that drafted him but decided to trade him away this past offseason. As the game approaches, let's take a look at what Philadelphia needs to do in order to spoil Shady's return to Lincoln Financial Field.

Offensive Game Plan

Philadelphia's defense and special teams combined for 21 points last week to outscore its own offense by seven points. The split does not mean the offense played poorly, but the unit will need to step up and perform this weekend.

The Eagles currently average 23.2 points per game, and Buffalo's defense coincidentally gives up the same total per game. Rex Ryan is typically known for his talented defenses, but this year's team does not quite live up to his previous groups. It gives up 255.7 yards per game through the air, which is 23rd in the league.

In his past few starts, Sam Bradford looked more comfortable in the offense and moved it down the field effectively. The quarterback went 14-of-24 for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Buffalo's outside cornerbacks cause problems, but the Eagles can still attack the defense down the middle.

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Jordan Matthews should be able to exploit Nickell Robey in the slot due to his size and ability as Philadelphia's top receiver. The 6' 3" receiver possesses more than a six-inch height advantage over Robey. Matthews leads the team in receptions and receiving yards with 661 yards on 61 catches.

In addition to his physical measurables, Bradford trusts the second-year receiver. Last week, Bradford allowed the play to develop and found Matthews on a crossing pattern for his second touchdown pass of the game. The quarterback struggled in the red zone to start the season, but his poise and confidence looks greatly improved in recent weeks, and Matthews is one of the benefactors.

The Eagles could also have a matchup advantage against Buffalo's safety Bacarri Rambo with Zach Ertz. The tight end caught only two receptions against the Patriots, but he caught a touchdown in the back of the end zone to give Philadelphia its first points of the game.

Bradford looks more poised in the pocket recently and his new-found confidence should benefit Matthews and Ertz against Buffalo.

Defensive Game Plan

Philadelphia's defense stepped up last week after giving up 45 points in two consecutive weeks. The Eagles still gave up 28 points last week, but they made big plays when they needed them most.

New England looked to be taking control of the game on the first drive of the second half. The Patriots marched right down the field, but then Tom Brady tried to force a pass to Danny Amendola in the red zone. The ball was batted up in the air, and Malcolm Jenkins returned the interception 99 yards for a touchdown. The defense gave up yards, but this play completely shifted the outlook of the game.

Philadelphia is tied for second in the NFL with 23 takeaways, but Tyrod Taylor has protected the ball well in recent weeks. The Bills have only turned it over three times in the five games the quarterback played under center.

One of the main improvements by the defense last week was its ability to put Brady under constant pressure. Billy Davis' scheme forced Brady to get rid of the ball fast and before his receivers were ready for it on several occasions.

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In order to disrupt Taylor's rhythm this week, the Eagles should send extra rushers to limit his ability to throw the ball deep. Last week, Brandon Graham and Connor Barwin showed their ability to get to the quarterback with two sacks apiece.

The Eagles' defense is dependent on forcing their opposition into mistakes and capitalizing on them. Dialing up consistent blitzes will force Taylor to make mistakes and rush into bad throws.

Key Players and Matchups

Ryan Mathews

Philadelphia should receive a boost this weekend from the likely return of Ryan Mathews. The running back missed the last three weeks after suffering a concussion against the Miami Dolphins.

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When healthy, the tailback has been Philadelphia's most effective running back as he averages 5.7 yards per carry. Mathews is second on the team, behind DeMarco Murray, with 427 rushing yards and 75 carries.

In particular, Mathews seems to fit Chip Kelly's scheme the best out of the backfield options. He combines his tough running style with his ability to find the hole fast and the speed to turn the corner quickly.

It will be interesting to see how many touches Kelly decides to give Mathews. Murray's frustrations with his lack of touches was well documented this week, and the running back could find himself lower in the pecking order this weekend if Mathews returns in full stride.

Kiko Alonso

Kelly took over control of roster decisions this summer, and with one of his first moves he decided to trade McCoy in exchange for Kiko Alonso. At the time of the trade, Alonso looked like a promising young player who was coming off a torn ACL.

In his first game in an Eagles uniform, the inside linebacker showed his athletic abilities with a leaping interception in the end zone against the Falcons. But then he suffered another knee injury in Week 2 and has not looked like the same player since.

Since returning, Alonso looks slower and fails to make a true impact on the game. The Eagles are limiting his snaps to ease him back into action, but it also creates inconsistency at the linebacker position. The 25-year-old only has 21 combined tackles through his seven games.

Alonso will be a player to watch this weekend as all eyes will be on him and McCoy to see which team got the better end of the trade this past summer.

Prediction

The NFC East is still wide open, and Philadelphia is still alive for a chance in the playoffs. But the Eagles need to show some consistency and put together a winning streak if they want to extend their season.

Last week's surprising upset over New England will surely boost the confidence in the locker room, but they are unlikely to win in similar fashion this week. The Eagles received 21 points from their defense and special teams last week, but this week their scoring will come down to Bradford's ability to move the offense.

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On the other side, Buffalo is based on its running attack and deep passes. This week will be the return of McCoy to face his old team and he is poised for a big game. He averages 4.6 yards per carry in his first season in a Bills uniform. Last week, Shady ran for 121 yards on 21 carries as Buffalo came out on top against Houston.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia struggled defending talented running backs as it ranks near the bottom of the league giving up 124.7 yards per game on the ground. The Eagles also gave up huge performances in the past. Doug Martin ran for 235 yards against Philadelphia a few weeks ago. 

If Buffalo can protect Taylor, then Buffalo will have opportunities to beat Philadelphia deep through the air. Sammy Watkins has three touchdowns in the last two games and could cause fits for either Byron Maxwell or the rookie Eric Rowe.

Philadelphia is coming off a big-time victory, and it may have turned a corner with its performance against New England. There was doubt surrounding Kelly's control of the locker room, but last week the players looked like a team that is still fighting for its coach. The Eagles will spoil McCoy's return to Philadelphia.

Final Prediction: Eagles 27, Bills 17