Philadelphia Eagles: 3 Stars from bounce-back win vs. Bills

The Philadelphia Eagles needed a win in the worst way and found one in Buffalo against the Bills. Who helped guide the Eagles to the win on Sunday?

Saying that a Week 8 trip to Buffalo was a must-win for the Philadelphia Eagles would’ve been downplaying the critical nature of the game. The Eagles had lost two-straight to drop to 3-4 prior to Sunday, including getting blown out by the rival Cowboys last week. Thus, they needed a statement game to help keep playoff hopes alive in the loaded NFC.

On a cold, rainy and windy day in Buffalo, the Eagles delivered the goods against the Bills. Despite the conditions, Philadelphia put up 31 on the vaunted Bills defense while the Eagles D put the clamps on Josh Allen. At the end of 60 minutes, the Eagles made a statement with a 31-13 win on the road to get back to .500 on the season.

With the victory to stay alive in the postseason race, we could see the Eagles make some moves at the NFL Trade Deadline to help out Carson Wentz on offense and to address a lacking secondary. But for now, the guys in tow got it done in Buffalo, particularly these three stars from Week 8.

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3. Miles Sanders and Jordan Howard, RB

As the weather dictated much of what was possible on offense, the Philadelphia Eagles needed something that really has not been there reliably for them this season: A running game. And while it hasn’t been something that they’ve been able to count on this year as a whole, Miles Sanders and Jordan Howard came up with their best performance as a duo this season to carry the offense overall.

Howard led the way on the ground in Week 8 as he took 23 carries for 96 yards and a touchdown, even adding a 15-yard reception. The rookie Sanders didn’t get as many touches but was explosive, taking three carries for 74 yards and a score while also catching three balls for 44 yards. This duo showed up in the biggest way that they have this season and it couldn’t have come at a more important time for Doug Pederson‘s club.

2. Fletcher Cox, DL

Even as the Eagles have suffered injuries, the defensive line has remained one of their strengths on paper. One of their underrated issues in the 3-4 start, though, had been their inability to create consistent pressure and find their way after the quarterback. That was not the case on Sunday as they attacked Josh Allen, though, and stalwart defensive tackle Fletcher Cox was at the heart of that effort.

Cox was dominant in every regard in Week 8, including in the box score. After 60 minutes, the veteran big man had accrued six total tackles and 1.5 sacks on the day. Even that doesn’t fully do his effort justice, though, as he was a monstrous force that got after the Bills offense, setting up his teammates even when he wasn’t the one getting home to the football.

1. Carson Wentz, QB

With the weather playing a factor in Buffalo on Sunday, Carson Wentz was not able to make a ton of big plays throughout the day. But what he was able to do was take the right shots when they presented themselves and remain efficient and mistake-free for the Eagles offense.

On the day, Wentz finished going 17-of-24 for 172 yards, one touchdown and no turnovers. More than most things given the conditions on the road, the Eagles needed their quarterback to be a steady presence for the offense if they were going into Buffalo and winning. He was all that and more in the victory, which means he’s quite deserving of being labeled a star for his team in the win.