Bills vs. SF 49ers: 5 matchups that determine Week 13 outcome
By Peter Panacy
No. 4: SF 49ers defense vs. Bills’ Josh Allen’s scrambling abilities
San Francisco has had trouble with mobile quarterbacks this season. In Week 1, the Arizona Cardinals’ Kyler Murray was a problem, while the Seattle Seahawks’ Russell Wilson still plagued the SF 49ers defense again in Week 8. Other quarterbacks with modest scrambling abilities have had success picking up extra yards on the ground, too.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen is no exception.
While it’s been fun watching him transform from a scrambler into more of a traditional passer in 2020, his ability to pick up yards on the ground can’t be overlooked. He actually ranks second on Buffalo’s offense in total rush yards (311) with six touchdowns behind its top running back, Devin Singletary, whose 483 rush yards this season also present a problem.
Yet the Niners have done a good job preventing opponents’ running backs from being a weekly problem, although Allen is in a category of his own here.
What might be wise for San Francisco to do is bank on more nickel and dime defensive packages, electing to go with speed over size and using those formations to limit Allen’s ability to scramble behind slower defenders at the first and second levels.
If that’s successful, Allen will be forced to throw much more often. And that leads to the next key matchup to determine Week 13.