Grades, analysis from SF 49ers walloping by Josh Allen, Bills
By Peter Panacy
Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Co. thrashed the SF 49ers 34-24 on Monday Night Football, and needless to say, the Niners grades aren’t too fun.
The SF 49ers are in limbo.
Their Week 12 victory over the LA Rams gave Niners fans everywhere hope that, even with an awfully shorthanded roster this season because of injury, head coach Kyle Shanahan’s squad was still good enough to sneak into the playoffs.
Following San Francisco’s lopsided Week 13 Monday Night Football loss to the “visiting” Buffalo Bills at State Farm Stadium in Arizona, one might rather draw a conclusion Shanahan’s team is currently little better than a bottom-feeder trying to avoid selecting in the top 10 of the 2021 NFL Draft.
The 34-24 loss made the game sound much closer than it actually was. Aside from an exciting first quarter of action, quarterback Josh Allen and the Buffalo offense made easy work of the SF 49ers defense, which had no answers defending him or wide receivers Cole Beasley and Stefon Diggs. And while he attempted to stay in the fight valiantly enough against Allen, Niners quarterback Nick Mullens simply isn’t good enough to lead the offense from a deficit.
Credit the Bills. They frustrated Shanahan’s offensive ground attack well enough to negate it from being a massive factor. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel didn’t make an impact until late in the game when the outcome was not in doubt.
And Allen was simply masterful, too, picking apart San Francisco’s zone defense with ease and then using his receiving targets to get by any times when coordinator Robert Saleh called blitzes or man coverage.
No matter how one looks at it, it was an ugly and playoff-endangering loss by the SF 49ers.
The position grades are no better.