The week flew by, what with the Monday night game in Kansas City, the morning arrival for the players and coaches in Philadelphia on Tuesday, and then Thanksgiving on Thursday. Buffalo comes to Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, looking to stay in the playoff race in the AFC.

It won't be easy.

So, the players need to make sure they are ready to play their best against a desperate football team heading into its bye week. The locker room? Ready to go ...

Jalen Carter: Feeling in the swing of things

He dived to try and catch a spike from Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes, something Jalen Carter learned from watching YouTube. And while the media attention focused on that fun fact, something more interesting is this: Carter spends a lot of his off time looking for some way, any way, to improve his game.

"Oh yeah, all the time. No matter what it is," he said. "Anything I can do to get an advantage, I'm going to do. Anything I can learn, I want to hear about it. You get to this level and everybody is a great player, a great athlete. They have the technique down. I'm looking for any kind of advantage."

Carter has been impactful and impressive as a rookie and he's now attracting double-team blocking on almost every snap. That is respect and that is acknowledgement that he's a force.

It has been a smooth transition from the University of Georgia to the NFL.

"The tempo hasn't been a big issue for me. I've felt pretty comfortable right from the start. The guys around me have helped a lot and my coaches," he said. "You just always have to find ways to get better. It's a competitive league and I love it."

Cam Jurgens: Expecting a tough battle with Buffalo's defensive front

A lot of talk this week has been about the similarities of the Buffalo defensive approach and what the Chiefs do, and that makes sense given that Chiefs Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and Buffalo Head Coach Sean McDermott come from the Jim Johnson coaching tree.

"There are similarities in it," right guard Cam Jurgens said. "They're going to bring a lot of pressure. They've got a good defensive front and they've been causing a lot of pressures this year. It's another game. It's a challenge and we're excited about it."

One of Buffalo's prime defensive players is tackle Ed Oliver, who has six quarterback sacks and is one of the league's most disruptive interior defensive players.

"He has a really quick twitch, does a lot of movement," Jurgens said. "You've got to be sound in what you're doing. He plays both sides and he can mess up a lot of what you're trying to do."

Bradley Roby: A mobile QB is what the NFL is these days

The Eagles have all the respect in the world for Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen, who has accounted for an NFL-high 29 touchdowns this season (Jalen Hurts is second, with 24). Allen is strong and mobile and, once again, the defense knows that no play is over until the whistle blows.

"We've played three in a row like that. First Dak (Prescott, Cowboys), then Mahomes, and now Allen," cornerback Bradley Roby said. "I think that's the new wave of quarterback. You've got to be able to do that in this league. He brings that same skill set and he makes you cover longer and you have to be aware of him on the run.

"It's about being disciplined and knowing what you're supposed to do and communicating with everybody."

Wide receiver Stefon Diggs is a weapon in a big way for Buffalo in the passing game and Roby knows him well, having played against Diggs when Diggs played for Minnesota and Roby played for Denver in 2015. Diggs didn't play the first three games of his rookie season, but in Week 4, he had 6 catches for 87 yards on 10 targets.

Diggs has been a big-time baller since then, and in 2023 he has 77 receptions for 895 yards and 7 touchdowns.

"We talk about it to this day," Roby said. "Their top three receivers got hurt all in one week and we were like, 'Who are going to be their receivers?' We heard they had this kid who in practice was going crazy and then he went out and he had a good game. He's matured into one of the top receivers in this league and that's been cool to me. In your journey in this league, you're going to meet a lot of guys who have humble beginnings who take it to the next level and that's great to see.

"He's quick and he runs very great routes, good after the catch, slippery receiver, and he's very competitive."

Sydney Brown: Growing and making the adjustment

Rookie safety Sydney Brown has been a versatile piece in the Eagles' defense and his workload has grown from the early weeks of the season. He has battled a hamstring injury and is contributing to a 9-1 team that has everything to play for.

Brown's first NFL season has been quite a trip.

"It's intense. When we're in the building, we're working and coaches are pushing us. There is always room for more," Brown said. "There is always more work to be done and we're nowhere close to where we need to be."

Brown says the quarterbacks in the NFL have such incredible placement with their throws, and while receivers are so much more precise with their routes, Brown gives the "biggest-difference-from-college" nod to the quarterbacks.

"Both are incredible and both challenge you on every single play," he said. "For me, there are growing pains and getting my feet wet and gaining experience. You have to learn from your mistakes and grow. I'm excited for what the future holds, but you want to show it every day. I'm where I want to be and I'm a better player every day."