After a thrilling 37-34 loss in overtime to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Buffalo Bills’ chances of making the playoffs are dwindling. Regardless, the game highlighted a continuing trend in Bills football: Josh Allen’s hero ball is not enough

Allen, Buffalo’s star quarterback, completed only 56% of his passes while passing for 339 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He also smashed through the Eagles’ defense for 81 yards on the ground and two more touchdowns. Allen accounted for 420 of the Bills’ 505 yards of offense; that’s 83% of the Bills’ total offensive yards and 70% of their total points scored.

Allen boasted an MVP-caliber performance but the lack of support from the Bills’ defense spelled disaster nonetheless. Allen cannot do much more for his team.

The Bills spotty defense turned a promising game into a nightmare for fans. After holding the Eagles’ offense to seven points in the first half, they outscored the Bills 30-17 in the second half.

Hopes were high as the Bills headed into the fourth quarter with a 24-14 lead over the Eagles. But Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts made quick work of his opponents while their ’ defense mitigated Allen’s talents for the majority of the fourth quarter.

Hurts, like Allen, was a scoring machine in this game. He completed 58% of his passes for 200 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. His ground game gutted the Bills’ defense as he rushed for 65 yards and two more touchdowns, one of which was the game-winning score in overtime. Notably, the Bills have struggled to stop the run this year, with their opponents averaging 4.7 yards per rush and 116.7 rushing yards per game; in both of these categories the Bills are in the bottom half of the NFL.

The second-half scoring deficit is surprising as the Bills have been better than most in the NFL at this. In 2023, they are averaging 14.3 points in the second half of their games behind only the Eagles and the Miami Dolphins.

Looking towards the playoffs, the Bills still have a chance, but to guarantee a playoff berth, they need to win the rest of their games. Anything but perfection makes the Bills Mafia’s chances of watching their team in the postseason much less likely.

Barring a complete collapse by their division rival, the Dolphins, the Bills’ best hope at a playoff berth is securing a wildcard spot; even that is shockingly competitive with the 6-5 Denver Broncos, riding on a five-game win streak, the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers each boasting a 7-4 record and the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans gaining momentum as they both sit at 6-5.

The Bills are currently ranked as the tenth seed in the AFC behind all of the aforementioned teams. A lot will need to change for them to have a chance at getting into the wildcard round.

And their schedule is not getting any easier. This week, they face former MVP Patrick Mahomes and reigning Super Bowl Champions the 8-3 Kansas City Chiefs on the road before coming back to Buffalo to host the 8-3 Dallas Cowboys. Then they travel to Los Angeles to take on Justin Herbert and The Chargers. The season finishes with games against division rivals, first at home against the struggling New England Patriots and then in Miami against the explosive, high-flying offense of the 8-3 Dolphins. Expectation of perfection down this tough schedule is a recipe for disappointment.

The Buffalo Bills faced a tough loss against the Philadelphia Eagles, highlighting their reliance on quarterback Josh Allen’s outstanding performance. However, defensive shortcomings continue to haunt the team, impacting their playoff chances. Sitting as the tenth seed in a highly competitive AFC, the Bills face a challenging schedule ahead. With formidable opponents on the horizon, securing a playoff spot demands near perfection, making their postseason aspirations a tough road to navigate.