49ers vs. Bills: Top 5 storylines to watch in NFL Week 13

The Buffalo Bills will look to lock up a playoff spot in their Week 13 showdown with the San Francisco 49ers. Here are five storylines to watch.

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The Buffalo Bills are one win away from locking up the AFC East for the fifth straight season, guaranteeing at least one home playoff game (with the potential for more). They can do that on Sunday night when they host an underachieving San Francisco 49ers team on Sunday Night Football. Here are five storylines to watch for in a game that could set the stage for the rest of the regular season.

AFC Beast

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As laid out in the lede, the Bills need just one more win to secure the AFC East for what would be a franchise record fifth straight year. This comes in a year when every talking head you could find seemed to pick either the New York Jets or Miami Dolphins to win the division. If Buffalo can lock things up in Week 13, it would be the earliest a team has clinched its division in over a decade. Not bad for a team that was supposedly "rebuilding."

'Tis the Season

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You can't open any social media app this weekend without seeing something about the Lake Effect snow that Western New York is set to receive. With 40 years of experience living on Lake Erie, one thing that I know is true is that Mother Nature is often a cruel mistress to those of us who call this area home. Will it be another snow event? Will it be a pristine December evening? The greatest experts in the field of weather prediction don't truly know, so I'd suggest not worrying.

Related: Bills LB offers glowing review of Matt Milano amid injury recovery

Health

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We are used to the Bills being the more banged-up team heading into most matchups, but that is NOT the case with the 49ers. They didn't have their quarterback Brock Purdy last week or their top pass rusher in Nick Bosa. We'll have to wait until closer to game time to see if they go on Sunday. The Bills aren't without their own bumps and bruises, as we haven't seen rookie wideout Keon Coleman or starting right tackle Spencer Brown in a couple of weeks. This game also could see the return of All-Pro linebacker Matt Milano.

Bye Week Boost

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The Bills are 7-0 under Sean McDermott coming out of their bye week. There really isn't any need for elaboration here; give the sideline boss an extra week to prepare for an opponent, and he'll likely take advantage of it.

Highmark High

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The Bills haven't lost a regular-season home game in over a calendar year, ripping off eight straight victories in Orchard Park. The last loss was on November 13, 2023, to the Denver Broncos. Keeping that trend and the others listed above would be a great start to December for Bills Mafia.

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