Open Thread: Eagles vs. Bills

LeSean McCoy is back in town. The Eagles take on McCoy and the Bills at 1:00, with first place in the NFC East still eminently attainable. We’ll pop in with some updates and thoughts from time to time. Feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.

4:21 – Ed Reynolds picks Tyrod Taylor off on third down, and the Eagles will win their second in a row.

4:18 – Sam Bradford takes a sack on third down and the Bills will get the ball back with 1:54 to play and a timeout remaining.

4:13 – The Bills move four yards in the wrong way and punt the ball away with 2:26 left to play. Buffalo still has three timeouts left.

4:08 – Eagles 23, Bills 20. Nelson Agholor drops a pass on third down-and-four in the red zone, but Caleb Sturgis connects from 30 yards out.

4:04 – Josh Huff was down after a rough-looking collision on a pick play. He was able to stand up and walk off the field under his own strength.

Josh Huff is down for the Eagles. Players are kneeling around him.

— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) December 13, 2015

4:01 – Eric Rowe injury update.

Eric Rowe is injured on that play. He's limping off the field. Biggers, Watkins are the other 2 CBs active today.

— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) December 13, 2015

4:00 – Tyrod Taylor goes deep to Sammy Watkins on third down, but the pass falls incomplete. The Bills punt it away with 5:36 left in the fourth quarter, and the Eagles take over from the 34-yard line.

3:50 – The Eagles go three-and-out and Donnie Jones punts it away again. The Bills take over from their own eight-yard line with 8:41 to go.

The Birds have run five more plays for 58 fewer yards.

3:45 – Buffalo picks up a first down but the Birds’ defense stifles the Bills on third down at their own 23-yard line. Darren Sproles returns the ball 28 yards to the Eagles’ own 49-yard line, where they take over with 9:18 to play.

3:39 – Leodis McKelvin makes an incredible sideline play to tear a catch away from Brent Celek in mid-air, which is upheld after a review, and the Bills take over on their own five-yard line with 12:55 to play.

3:28 – The game is tied at 20 with one quarter to go, and LeSean McCoy is fired up.

McCoy animated on the sideline, firing up the defense as they get set to take the field.

— Tim McManus (@Tim_McManus) December 13, 2015

3:26 – Eagles 20, Bills 20. Mike Gillislee caps off a solid Buffalo drive with a 19-yard touchdown run to knot the game at 20 apiece with 46 seconds left in the third quarter.

The run was Gillislee’s second carry of the afternoon.

3:18 – The Eagles fail to produce on the ensuing drive, and Donnie Jones punts it away again. Riley Cooper gets called for a late hit on the return, and the Bills take over on the Eagles’ 46-yard line with 4:04 left in the third quarter.

3:16 – Tim likes what he’s seen from Sam Bradford.

Big change in Bradford has been turnover rate. Hasn't thrown interception since first quarter against Carolina — span of 17-plus quarters.

— Tim McManus (@Tim_McManus) December 13, 2015

3:11 – Eagles haven’t made Tyrod Taylor even remotely uncomfortable in the pocket this afternoon. Just one sack, not many hurries.

Eagles can't get consistent pass rush pressure

— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) December 13, 2015

3:10 – Eagles 20, Bills 13. Buffalo drives just up to the edge of the red zone, but can’t finish the drive with seven. Dan Carpenter boots a 40-yard field goal to make it a one-possession game.

3:00 – Eagles 20, Bills 10. The Eagles drive deep into Buffalo territory on the opening drive of the second half, but an incomplete pass on third down forces another field goal, this time a 41-yarder from Sturgis.

The Eagles march 57 yards on 14 plays, eating up 5:18 of clock.

DeMarco Murray now has 26 yards on seven carries.

2:40 – HALFTIME: Eagles 17, Bills 10. The Bills have run three more plays for 39 more yards, but the Eagles hold the seven-point advantage.

LeSean McCoy has 63 yards on 12 carries in the first 30 minutes.

Despite poor officiating, the Eagles get a field goal with just five seconds left in the first half. Good drive to pick up some points.

— Josh Paunil (@JoshPaunil) December 13, 2015

2:37 – Eagles 17, Bills 10. Sam Bradford executes on a number of quick routes and Caleb Sturgis boots a 45-yard field goal with nine seconds left in the first half to give the Birds three more points before the break.

2:26 – The Eagles hold Buffalo to another punt and regain possession on their own 20-yard line with 1:28 left in the first half and two timeouts.

2:17 – The Eagles can’t answer, and Donnie Jones punts it away from the shadow of his own end zone. The Bills take over at their own 38-yard line with 3:59 to go in the first half. The Birds still lead, 14-10.

2:13 – Jason Peters update.

Jason Peters back in the game. (Dennis Kelly out).

— Martin Frank (@Mfranknfl) December 13, 2015

2:09 – Eagles 14, Bills 10. LeSean McCoy breaks a 24-yard run, but Buffalo’s drive sputters and Dan Carpenter kicks a 38-yard field goal with 6:20 left in the first half.

McCoy has 59 yards on 10 carries so far.

2:02 – Sam Bradford is playing some very good football lately.

Samuel Jacob Bradford’s last 13 quarters: 5 TD, 0 INT. 68.4 COMP%, 7.72 Y/A.

— Adam Hermann (@AdamWHermann) December 13, 2015

1:58 – Eagles 14, Bills 7. The Eagles overcome consecutive holding penalties on Dennis Kelly with a bomb from Bradford to Nelson Agholor for a 53-yard touchdown pass on second down and 26.

1:56 – A Jason Peters update after the Bills fumble the punt.

On Dennis Kelly's first play at left tackle replacing Jason Peters, he gets called for holding.

— Josh Paunil (@JoshPaunil) December 13, 2015

1:54 – Another inept Eagles drive leads to another punt, but the Bills’ returner fumbles the reception and the Eagles take over on Buffalo’s 37-yard line.

1:51 – The Bills threaten in Eagles territory, reaching the 36-yard line, but good coverage from Kiko Alonso on a corner route to LeSean McCoy forces another Buffalo punt. The Eagles take over on their own four-yard line.

McCoy has 32 yards on seven carries so far.

1:45 – End of 1Q: Eagles 7, Bills 7. The Bills have run three more plays for 67 more yards.

1:41 – Donnie Jones is booming the ball this afternoon.

Donnie Jones 2 punts today _ 63 and 56 yards. #Eagles.

— Martin Frank (@Mfranknfl) December 13, 2015

1:40 – Another first-down swing pass stifles the Eagles’ offense, and two Ryan Mathews carries fail to pick up a first down. Donnie Jones punts it away again, and the Bills take over on their own 33-yard line.

1:36 – The Eagles dodge a bullet when Tyrod Taylor over-throws Sammy Watkins on another potential touchdown pass, and Byron Maxwell breaks up a pass to Watkins on third-and-two to force the Bills’ second punt of the day. The Birds take over on their own 13-yard line with 4:28 left in the first quarter.

That was great coverage by Byron Maxwell. Nice job to turn around and play the ball to avoid a penalty. Crazy how inconsistent he has been.

— Josh Paunil (@JoshPaunil) December 13, 2015

1:30 – The Eagles’ second offensive drive looks a little more familiar, as a fruitless rushing play and a one-yard gain on a swing pass set up third-and-long. Nelson Agholor drops a first down, and Donnie Jones punts it away for the first time this afternoon.

1:24 – Bills 7, Eagles 7. The second of two big completions, a 47-yard touchdown pass to Sammy Watkins, ties the score midway through the first quarter. 79 of the Bills’ 80 yards on the four-play drive came on two passing plays. The other yard was a LeSean McCoy carry.

LeSean McCoy has two carries for eight yards after two Buffalo drives.

1:18 – The Eagles used three running backs on that first drive – Ryan Mathews, DeMarco Murray, and Darren Sproles – for 34 yards on four carries.

Good stuff from all three backs on that drive. I imagine that's generally how Chip was imagining things going in the offseason.

— Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) December 13, 2015

1:17 – Context for that Eagles TD from stat expert Paul Domowitch.

That is just third time in 13 games that the Eagles have scored on their first possession. Only 2nd TD.

— Paul Domowitch (@pdomo) December 13, 2015

1:16 – Eagles 7, Bills 0. A 44-yard pass to Riley Cooper on the first play of the drive is challenged and overturned, but Sam Bradford and the Eagles march down the field any way, going 61 yards on eight plays in just under three minutes.

1:07 – Josh liked what he saw from Brandon Graham on an attempted Buffalo reverse from the wildcat.

Great job by Brandon Graham there. Never crashed down and stayed outside to contain the end around. A lot of people would bite.

— Josh Paunil (@JoshPaunil) December 13, 2015

1:06 – The Bills pick up a first down, and LeSean McCoy picks up seven yards, but Fletcher Cox sacks Tyrod Taylor and the Eagles force a Buffalo punt. The Birds take over on their own 39-yard line.

1:02 – The Eagles win the toss and elect to defer. LeSean McCoy and the Bills’ offense will begin the game.