NFL Week 12: Eagles are the league’s best, even when they aren’t playing their best

It’s a mentality that should frighten the rest of the NFL, because the Eagles didn’t lose. Rather, they scored one of the most dramatic and impressive wins of the season, a 37-34 victory over the Bills in which they overcame a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

“We’ve got to get better from this,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “We hold each other accountable, starting with myself, then with our leaders. That’s how you get better.”

The Eagles left Lincoln Financial Field frustrated Sunday night, knowing they have to improve.

The Eagles are an NFL-best 10-1 and cruising toward the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed, yet they aren’t satisfied and know they can play even better.

“I’m glad that we can learn from this,” Sirianni said. “I’m extremely happy that the corrections will be made after a win than after a loss.”

The soaring Eagles lead off the Week 12 review:

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The Eagles are probably right that they aren’t playing their best ball. Despite being the only 10-1 team, they are just seventh in scoring differential at plus-64. And their defense ranks 20th in points allowed (22.4 per game).

But those stats belie the impressive nature of their season. Four of their last five wins have come against some of the NFL’s best — the Dolphins, Cowboys, Chiefs, and Bills, the last three of which were second-half comebacks. The Eagles are 5-0 when trailing at halftime, while the rest of the NFL is 35-129. Jalen Hurts is the first quarterback since records began in 1950 to win 14 straight games against teams with a winning record.

The Eagles didn’t flinch when trailing the Bills, 17-7 at halftime and 24-14 entering the fourth. They scored touchdowns on three straight possessions, forced overtime with an unbelievable 59-yard field goal at the buzzer by Jake Elliott, then calmly drove 75 yards for the winning touchdown in OT.

“We always find a way, and that’s something that you can’t really take for granted,” Hurts said.

Philadelphia's Zach Cunningham tracked down Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen, who was 29 of 51 passing on the day.

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

The schedule doesn’t get easier, with showdowns against the 49ers and Cowboys coming the next two weeks. But the Eagles now have a two-game lead over the Cowboys in the NFC East, plus a two-game lead over the 49ers and Lions for the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage.

Only three teams have won a Super Bowl the year after losing it — the 2018 Patriots, 1972 Dolphins, and 1971 Cowboys. The Eagles aren’t playing their best ball, but they are on the path to becoming the fourth.

In their second game after firing offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, the Bills played like an offensive steamroller and racked up a season-high 505 yards. They almost pulled off a signature win over the Eagles, which would have vaulted them back into the playoff bracket and taken the pressure off the locker room and coaching staff.

Instead, the Bills woke up Monday with a 6-6 record and the No. 10 seed in the AFC because of the usual culprits — a turnover in the fourth quarter by Josh Allen, defensive letdowns in the second half, and poor clock management by coach Sean McDermott.

Sean McDermott's Bills have lost three of four and are not in playoff position.

Jeffrey T. Barnes/Associated Press

The defensive struggles are somewhat understandable because the Bills are playing without their top two players, linebacker Matt Milano and cornerback Tre’Davious White, both out for the season with injuries.

But McDermott once again mismanaged the end of the game, wasting all of his timeouts at the end of regulation and having Allen take a knee with 20 seconds left instead of going for a game-winning field goal.

“Hindsight is always 20-20,” McDermott said.

McDermott has said that far too much in his seven years in Buffalo. Sunday’s loss did nothing to cool his hot seat.

The Chiefs shook off last Monday’s loss to the Eagles and managed to fix most of their problems in one afternoon against the Raiders. No turnovers? Check. Two second-half touchdowns? Check. A receiver other than Travis Kelce stepping up? Check (107 yards and a touchdown for Rashee Rice). More downfield throws? Check (Patrick Mahomes averaged 8.8 yards per attempt, second-best this season).

The win improved the Chiefs to 8-3 , a half-game behind the Ravens for the AFC’s No. 1 seed.

“It’s a tough thing to do, to win a game like this after a big Monday night game and then Thanksgiving,” coach Andy Reid said. “You get that tryptophan hangover.”

Quick hits

Only one of eight division races is competitive right now — the NFC South, where the 5-6 Falcons hold the tiebreaker over the 5-6 Saints and a one-game lead over the 4-7 Bucs. The other seven division leaders (Dolphins, Ravens, Jaguars, Chiefs, Eagles, Lions, and 49ers) hold two-game leads.

Changing offensive coordinators resulted in a mixed bag for the Steelers, as it did last week with the Bills . The Steelers did gain a season-high 421 yards in their win over the Bengals , improving to 7-4 and the No. 5 seed in the AFC. And Kenny Pickett did throw for an efficient 278 yards with no interceptions. But the Steelers also scored just 16 points, with one touchdown in nine drives, against a struggling Bengals team with no quarterback.

The Lions are 8-3 and the No. 3 seed in the NFC, but the defense is falling apart. They are now 24th in points allowed after losing to the Packers on Thanksgiving. They have allowed 38, 26, and 29 points in consecutive weeks.

The Colts aren’t exactly facing juggernauts, but they have now won three straight against the Panthers, Patriots, and Buccaneers to improve to 6-5 and grab the No. 7 seed in the AFC playoff race. Shane Steichen is doing a great job in his first year as coach, going 2-2 with rookie Anthony Richardson and 4-3 with backup Gardner Minshew.

Panthers owner David Tepper let the expletives fly after leaving the locker room following Sunday’s loss to the Titans, then canned coach Frank Reich — who was 1-10 — about 15 hours later. Tepper made billions as a fund manager but is discovering that the NFL is unlike any other business.

Trevor Lawrence and C.J. Stroud combined for 668 passing yards in the Jaguars’ 24-21 win over the Texans . This is going to be a fun divisional rivalry for years to come.

Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was 23 of 38 for 364 yards.

Eric Christian Smith/Associated Press

The Broncos won their fifth straight game, and a defense that allowed 70 points to the Dolphins in Week 3 has allowed just 16 per game in their win streak. The Broncos, now 6-5 and in the No. 9 AFC seed, are looking to join 2020 Washington, 2018 Colts, 2015 Chiefs, and 1970 Bengals as a team to make the playoffs after a 1-5 start.

The Bills’ 22 third-down attempts (with 13 conversions) were the most in the NFL since 2012.

Tracking Guys That Boston Fans May Care About

Titans coach Mike Vrabel: Got a win against the hapless Panthers to snap a three-game losing streak, but his team is 4-7 and going nowhere.

Raiders CB Jack Jones: Played 40 of 60 snaps and had five tackles in a 31-17 loss to the Chiefs.

Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers: Had six catches for 79 yards, and caught his sixth touchdown pass, tying his career high set last year with the Patriots.

Ravens WR Zay Flowers: Had a rushing and a receiving touchdown in win over the Chargers, but his teammates ribbed him for scoring a touchdown with 1:36 left instead of taking a knee.

Titans K Nick Folk: Hit a 53-yard field goal at the end of the first half, and is 22 for 23 on field goals and 17 for 17 on extra points this year. Oy.

Ben Volin can be reached at .