Eagles Can’t Hold Onto Upset; Bills Win, 10-7 : Interconference: Buffalo takes advantage of two fumbles to score twice and pull out victory.

The upset was there for the taking. The Philadelphia Eagles just couldn’t hold onto it.

The Eagles fumbled twice in the game’s final 10 minutes, setting up both Buffalo scores as the Bills escaped Philadelphia with a 10-7 victory Sunday.

“When you play a good football team, you’ve got to make the plays and not self-destruct,” Eagle Coach Rich Kotite said. “Unfortunately, we did a lot of that today.”

Frank Reich, subbing for an injured Jim Kelly (sprained ankle), completed a three-yard touchdown pass to Pete Metzelaars and Steve Christie kicked a 34-yard field goal as the Bills (9-4) narrowly averted a third consecutive loss.

“We’re at the point in the season now where wins are big,” said Steve Tasker, Buffalo’s special teams star.

“Back in September and October, you have time to recover from a loss. There ain’t no time now. You lose one like this, you’re done.”

The Eagles (5-8), losing for the eighth time in their last nine games, fumbled four times, the final two costing them the game.

The third one, when Heath Sherman lost the ball to Mickey Washington on the Bills’ 29, set up the touchdown by Metzelaars with 3:44 remaining.

Vai Sikahema then fumbled the ensuing kickoff with 3:32 remaining to set up Christie’s field goal. It was Sikahema’s second fumble of the game.

“It was a bad play,” Sikahema said. “It’s hard to describe when your mistake puts them in a position to score the winning score.

“It’s like being at home during a disaster and you’re waiting for the phone call to see if someone is hurt on the plane or train.”

The Eagles drove 59 yards after the field goal, but Matt Bahr was short on a 45-yard field goal as the game ended.

The Eagles scored on a 19-yard pass play, Bubby Brister to Calvin Williams, with 5:17 left in the third quarter.

On the day, Brister completed 28 of 48 passes for 299 yards.

Herschel Walker led the Eagles, getting a career-high 109 yards in 11 catches.

Walker added 26 yards in nine carries.

Kelly threw two interceptions, both as the Bills were near the Philadelphia goal line, and the Bills lost two fumbles.

Christie missed field goals of 42, 29 and 51 yards.

Kelly sprained his left ankle in the third quarter, was replaced by Reich for a series.

Kelly then reinjured the ankle on the Bills’ next series and left for good.

“He couldn’t make the plants (to throw),” Coach Marv Levy said.

Thurman Thomas bruised his left forearm in the first quarter and played sparingly after that.

“He had a nasty bruise on his arm and there was a real concern on whether he could hold onto the ball,” Levy said.