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| BUF at PHI | CAR at TB | CIN at MIA | DAL at WAS | DET at GB | JAX at HOU | KC at NYJ | MIN at DEN |
| NE at NYG | NO at CHI | PIT at BAL | SD at OAK | SEA at ATL | SF at CLE | STL at ARI | TEN at IND |
Week 17 Game Recap: Buffalo Bills 9, Philadelphia Eagles 17
What you need to know
| Buffalo Bills |
The Bills started out sluggishly and never got untracked. Their first three drives ended with punts and Buffalo was quickly down 7--0 in the first quarter. They were only able to penetrate the Philadelphia red zone three times in the entire game and those opportunities resulted in three field goals. While their opportunistic defense sacked Donovan McNabb four times and intercepted one pass, they still surrendered over 300 passing yards.
Trent Edwards posted mediocre numbers and seemed reluctant to throw the ball deep. The Buffalo passing attack was ineffective and disappeared after Lee Evans was injured in the second quarter. Edwards threw for 133 yards, although he was not sacked and did not throw an interception. Buffalo wide receivers Evans, Roscoe Parrish, Sam Aiken and Josh Reed only accounted for just four of Edwards' 16 completed passes.
Although the Bills failed to generate a viable air attack Marshawn Lynch gained 105 yards and was able to grind out tough yardage against eight man fronts including a 56 yard run in the second half. Fred Jackson continued to impress in his backup role to Lynch and led the team with six receptions for 24 yards. Tight ends Michael Gaines and Robert Royal combined for five receptions good for 48 yards.
The Bills have given up 35 drives this season of ten plays or more, most in the NFL. S Donte Whitner sat out this game with an illness and the undermanned defense continued to struggle. After LB Mario Haggan was injured the Bills played with two linebackers and a nickel package. While they never gave up and often played inspired, their second and third string players lacked talent.
| Philadelphia Eagles |
Philadelphia won its third game in a row to finish the season 8--8. They got up 7--0 in the first quarter and rode their defense to a victory much more decisive than the final score might suggest. This one wasn't even close.
Donovan McNabb appeared fully recovered from reconstructive knee surgery and once again played like a Pro Bowl quarterback. He threw for 345 yards, completing 29 of 41 with one touchdown. On their first series, T Jon Runyon suffered a concussion and was replaced by former USC standout Winston Justice. Although McNabb was ultimately sacked four times he looked quick in the pocket and was usually able to avoid the blitz happy Bills.
Early in the game Brian Westbrook broke Wilbert Montgomery's single season team record of 2,005 all purpose yards, and in the second quarter he broke Irving Fryer's franchise record of 88 receptions. Possibly because Westbrook touched the ball 368 times this season Andy Reid let him sit out the fourth quarter. Westbrook finished with 42 yards on seven carries and another 57 receiving yards on four pass receptions.
Reggie Brown caught five passes for 83 yards, but in the third quarter caught a pass at the ten yard line but had the ball knocked loose at the three yard line. Kevin Curtis alertly pounced on the loose ball in the end zone to score the Eagles' second touchdown, the second time in as many weeks that he bailed out a teammate in such a manner. Curtis also caught seven passes for 62 yards while rookie TE Brent Celek caught three balls for 18 yards and one touchdown.
What you ought to know
| QB Trent Edwards, Pass: 16 - 30 - 133 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 3 - 17 - 0 |
The Stanford rookie had a mediocre game, completing 16 of 30 for 133 yards and zero touchdowns, and managed to scramble three times for 17 yards in the face of a strong pass rush. His quickness may have prevented the Eagles from sacking him, but he was unable to get the ball into the end zone on three trips inside the red zone. The Buffalo passing attack was ineffective to begin with but it disappeared after Lee Evans was injured in the second quarter and had to leave the game.
| RB Marshawn Lynch, Rush: 22 - 105 - 0, Rec: 1 - 22 - 0 (1 targets) |
Lynch carried 22 times for 105 yards. Even though Buffalo was unable to generate a passing attack Lynch was still able to grind out tough yardage against eight man fronts and even ripped off a 56 yard run in the second half. This season the Cal rookie was everything the Bills hoped he would be and maybe a little more.
| RB Fred Jackson, Rush: 5 - 16 - 0, Rec: 6 - 24 - 0 (7 targets) |
While his role is to spell Lynch, Jackson also led the Bills in receiving with six balls for 24 yards. His high number of targets underscores Buffalo's inability to get the ball to their wide receivers.
| WR Roscoe Parrish, Rec: 1 - 3 - 0 (4 targets) |
Parrish is still more valuable as a punt return specialist although the Bills keep looking for ways to expand his role in their offense. Edwards tried one deep pass that fell incomplete.
| WR Sam Aiken, Rec: 1 - 10 - 0 (1 targets) |
The reserve receiver and special teams standout got a chance to play when Lee Evans was injured and had to leave the game. He managed to catch the only pass thrown to him for a ten yard gain good for a first down.
| WR Lee Evans, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (3 targets) |
Evans caught his only pass in the second quarter on a short crossing route. Former South Florida standout J.R. Reed crushed him after a two yard gain and Evans did not return to the game.
| WR Josh Reed, Rec: 1 - 24 - 0 (2 targets) |
A sore back prevented Reed from practicing during the week but he still played. He only caught one pass for 24 yards, but threw a key block on Lynch's 56 yard run.
| TE Robert Royal, Rec: 3 - 31 - 0 (5 targets) |
The former Washington Redskins tight end continued to play a key role in this offense and led the team in receiving yards.
| TE Michael Gaines, Rec: 2 - 17 - 0 (4 targets) |
The former Carolina Panther continued to play a key role in this offense. Both Gaines and Robert Royal have decent hands and provide large targets on short safe routes for Buffalo's rookie quarterback.
| PK Rian Lindell 3 - 3 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 9 points |
The Bills' inability to score in the red zone enabled Lindell to convert field goals from 29, 23 and 22 yards.
| BUF Rush Defense |
Philadelphia failed to gain 100 yards but Westbrook left the game after breaking franchise records set by Wilbert Montgomery and Irving Fryer.
| BUF Pass Defense |
Despite sacking McNabb four times, intercepting a pass and recovering a fumble, they still surrendered 345 passing yards. S Donte Whitner missed the game due to illness and the inexperienced secondary proved easy pickings.
| QB Donovan McNabb, Pass: 29 - 41 - 345 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 |
McNabb appeared fully recovered from reconstructive knee surgery performed 13 months ago as he led the Eagles to their third straight victory. He connected with 10 different receivers and appeared quick and decisive in the pocket. He completed 29 of 41 for 345 yards and one touchdown but a potential second touchdown pass was fumbled at the three yard line.
McNabb threw one interception, his first in his last 125 pass attempts, which also was his first red zone pick of the season.
| RB Brian Westbrook, Rush: 7 - 42 - 0, Rec: 4 - 57 - 0 (6 targets) |
A modest day by Westbrook standards, he gained 42 yards on seven carries and caught four passes for another 57 yards. In the first half he broke both the franchise record for catches set by Irving Fryer and also the all purpose yards record set by Wilbert Montgomery. Westbrook was held out in the fourth quarter.
| RB Correll Buckhalter, Rush: 9 - 18 - 0, Rec: 2 - 10 - 0 (2 targets) |
Buckhalter spelled Westbrook throughout the game and played the entire fourth quarter. He posted modest numbers as Philadelphia had the lead and milked the clock.
| RB Thomas Tapeh, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (1 targets) |
The 243 pound fullback did not carry the ball but caught his only target for four yards.
| WR Kevin Curtis, Rec: 7 - 62 - 0 (13 targets) |
The free agent from St. Louis led all receivers with seven balls for 62 yards and has become a McNabb favorite. For the second week in a row he alertly recovered a teammates' fumble in the end zone for a Philadelphia touchdown.
| WR Reggie Brown, Rush: 2 - 9 - 0, Rec: 5 - 83 - 0 (7 targets) |
Brown led all receivers with 83 yards on five receptions and also carried twice on reverses for nine yards. He also fumbled at the Buffalo three yard line and had the ball bounce into the end zone, but alert Kevin Curtis recovered for the second Eagles touchdown.
| WR Jason Avant, Rec: 2 - 30 - 0 (2 targets) |
Avant caught both passes thrown to him for 30 yards, although he was not targeted in the second half.
| WR Hank Baskett, Rec: 2 - 7 - 0 (2 targets) |
Baskett saw action in the second half and managed to catch both passes thrown to him for seven yards.
| WR Greg Lewis, Rec: 2 - 66 - 0 (4 targets) |
Lewis saw limited duty but gained 66 yards on just two receptions. He was also the target when McNabb's pass was intercepted.
| TE Brent Celek, Rec: 3 - 18 - 1 (4 targets) |
The rookie from Cincinnati caught McNabb's two yard TD pass in the first quarter. He played the entire game and finished with three grabs for 18 yards.
| TE Matt Schobel, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (2 targets) |
The brother of Buffalo DE Aaron Schobel, Matt caught one pass for eight yards. His other target was incomplete when Aaron dropped into shallow coverage and was one of three defenders who knocked down the pass.
| PK David Akers 1 - 1 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points |
His only field goal attempt was good from 38 yards and converted both extra points.
| PHI Rush Defense |
Philadelphia's rush defense ranked fifth in the NFL but Marshawn Lynch gained over 100 yards. The Eagles kept Buffalo out of the end zone and rank second in the League with only 20 touchdowns allowed on 51 possessions inside their 20 yard line.
| PHI Pass Defense |
Trent Edwards only passed for 133 yards and faced tremendous pressure, but the Eagles did not register a sack or intercept a pass. This season they were last in the NFL with just 19 takeaways and zero touchdowns off turnovers.
