3 reasons why SF 49ers pull off upset over Bills on Monday night
By Peter Panacy
No. 1: Bills’ weakness is an SF 49ers strength
Buffalo beats teams with its offense this season despite head coach Sean McDermott’s reputation of being a defensive mastermind.
This is primarily due to quarterback Josh Allen and his elite-level receiving corps, led by the prolific wide receiver Stefon Diggs, whose 945 receiving yards this season rank sixth best among all pass-catchers in the league.
More from Niner Noise
- Predicting 49ers NFL Draft picks by looking at final mocks
- DraftKings NFL Draft Promo – Win $150 Guaranteed on Any $5 Bet
- 2023 NFL Draft: EDGE Byron Young could be impact player for 49ers
- 5 low-key NFL Draft options for 49ers who are flying under the radar
- Updated 49ers salary cap space ahead of 2023 NFL Draft
So it’s no surprise the Bills have the No. 7 passing offense this season.
Yet that plays right into San Francisco’s top strength in 2020, as coordinator Robert Saleh’s defense has still managed the fourth-best pass defense despite not having much of a pass rush in the wake of injuries to EDGEs Nick Bosa and Dee Ford. Instead, it’s been coverage that’s the SF 49ers strongest defensive unit.
Flipping things around, the Niners’ top offensive approach, the run game, is a mismatch for Buffalo’s defense, which is allowing an average of 4.7 rush yards per carry against — 27th in the league.
This is where the return of running back Raheem Mostert matters the most, as he’s averaging 5.2 yards per carry despite mostly being shut down by the Rams last week.
One should expect Mostert to have a massive game in Week 13. And if he does, San Francisco could wind up coming away with the victory.
Next. 4 candidates for 49ers' most improved player in 2020. dark
The SF 49ers and Bills kick off on Monday, Dec. 7 at 8:15 p.m. ET from State Farm Stadium.