49ers-Buffalo Preview: Will the Season Be Buried in the Snow?

Five starters are out for the Niners including Trent Williams, Nick Bosa, and Deommodore Lenoir

Dec 7, 2020; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) gets away from San Francisco 49ers defensive end Kerry Hyder (92) during the second half at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Snow is blowing sideways in the crisp winter air as the hooves of the Budweiser Clydesdales kick up snow drifts in slow motion. The horses pull a wagon carrying a Christmas tree into the distance, revealing the San Francisco 49ers, who have to play a football game in this slop.

Four to six feet of snow on the ground when the game begins at 8:20 pm local time, more snow during the game. 29 degrees. Freezing winds off Lake Erie reaching up to 24 miles per hour.

Enter Brock Purdy, who has been conquered by the rain, playing in the snow without the left side of his starting offensive line, without lock first ballot Hall of Famer Trent Williams. Without whom the Niners have gone 0-4 the last two years. The reeling 5-6 49ers have lost two straight games.

On the opposite side of the field is Josh Allen, who played snow games in college at Wyoming. His Bills are 9-2, winners of six straight, coming off their bye week, and they can clinch the division title with a win.

Allen’s win streak extends off the field, he proposed recently to film actress and singer Hailee Steinfeld. She said yes.

The NFL is sending the Niners across the country to a burial in the snow, both the game and the season.

INJURIES

49ers – LT Williams, LG Aaron Banks, Edge Nick Bosa, DT Maliek Collins, and DB Deommodore Lenoir are out.

Bills – Starting tight end Dalton Kincaid is out. Starting linebacker and impact playmaker Matt Milano was a full participant in practice on Friday and is expected to play, he’s been out since early October.

49ERS ON OFFENSE

Purdy returns after missing last week with shoulder soreness. His arm strength in the wind can potentially be a concern when 24 mph gusts hit, but the average wind speed of 11 mph won’t be a problem.

When Purdy throws he should be targeting Christian McCaffrey as the Bills are the league’s worst at giving up the most receptions, yards, and touchdowns to backs in the passing game. Milano’s timely return should help the Buffalo defense deal with McCaffrey.

The run game will be up to Kyle Shanahan. Will he continue to give McCaffrey 88% of the carries as if this was still 2023? If that continues, McCaffrey is working his way back to football shape and has been particularly ineffective at yards after contact. Meanwhile Buffalo is the league’s best tackling team with just 42 missed tackles on the year (the Niners have 77). Given that matchup, Buffalo should drop McCaffrey like a sack of wet cement on contact, though snow is always an X factor for both sides.

If McCaffrey is not generating yards after contact, giving Jordan Mason a rare opportunity to take some of the workload could prove useful. Mason is one of the league’s best at yards after contact. Buffalo’s run defense is vulnerable, they are in the bottom five of the league in yards per carry against at 4.9.

Buffalo is not a heavy blitzing team, the question will be how the Niners makeshift offensive line holds up in the snow.

BUFFALO ON OFFENSE

Allen is one of the league’s best quarterbacks in all-purpose yards, he has rushed for at least 50 yards in each of his last two games. The Niners are worst in the league at quarterback rushing yards against out of dropbacks. Kyler Murray ran seven times for 83 yards, and Geno Smith four times for 29 yards and the game-winning touchdown against the 49er defense.

Allen could have a big rushing day against the Niners front four missing Nick Bosa. The challenge for San Francisco will be getting off the field, given that Allen can take off on 3rd and long and gain the first with his feet.

James Cook is their leading rusher at just under 600 yards for the year. He will primarily work between the tackles. Khalil Shakir was the leading pass catcher in the win over the Chiefs. Amari Cooper is back to full health.

PREDICTIONS (6-5)

Buffalo’s offense is clicking, scoring at least 30 points in five straight games. Maybe the snow will slow the Bills down somewhat, but the Niner run defense won’t. The 49ers inability to contain Allen as a rusher will be a problem, particularly in passing situations.

San Francisco can run and throw the ball against Buffalo, led by passing to McCaffrey. It will be incumbent on the Niners offense to maintain contact with Buffalo, otherwise the Bills can just run the game and the clock out for the win.

I think the Niner defense will struggle to get stops on 3rd down as Buffalo builds a lead and then coasts to what should be an easy win.

Bills 34 49ers 17

Download and follow The Cohn Zohn Podcast.