Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - Through their first 11 games of the 2024 season, San Francisco has not looked like the 49ers teams of recent seasons.
San Francisco recorded double-digit wins in four of the last five seasons (25-9 over the last two), and appeared in two Super Bowls, losing both to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The 49ers will bring a 5-6 record with them when they visit Highmark Stadium on Sunday night for the first time since 2016.
Injuries to core players, among other things, have left the 49ers on the outside looking in, as far as the NFC playoff picture goes. A number of those losses could have gone the other way, and probably did in recent seasons.
Four of their six defeats have come by one score. There was a one-point loss to the Arizona Cardinals, a pair of three-point setbacks to the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks, and a six point loss in Minnesota to the Vikings.
The biggest injury was to all-purpose running back Christian McCaffrey, the Offensive Player of the Year in 2023.
McCaffrey missed the first eight games of the season. In the three games since his return, McCaffrey is only averaging 3.5 yards per-carry, and has yet to find the end zone. He does still figure in the passing game, as his average of 93 total yards from scrimmage a game will attest.
The wide receiver group took a major hit when Brandon Aiyuk was lost for the season in Week 7.
Deebo Samuel has missed just one game, but he's only caught 34 balls for 511 yards and one touchdown in the 10 games he has been on the field.
Jauan Jennings has helped make up for Aiyuk's absence, though, with 47 receptions for 628 yards and four touchdowns.
George Kittle is still one of the best tight ends in the league. He missed a pair of games this season, but still leads the 49ers in catches (49), receiving yards (642) and touchdowns (8). Kittle is also averaging a very healthy 13.1 yards per-catch.
Quarterback Brock Purdy's numbers have been OK this season, but not great. Purdy, who missed San Francisco's last game against the Green Bay Packers due to a shoulder injury, is averaging 261 yards passing a game, but has just 13 touchdown passes to go with his eight interceptions.
San Francisco's offense has moved the ball very effectively, but getting into the end zone has been an issue.
The 49ers are ranked in the top-10 in eight different statistical categories, including rushing yards per-game, passing yards per-game, passing average and third down efficiency. They average 394 total yards a game, but they are 13th in points with a 23 points per-game average.
When Branden Allen filled in for Purdy last week in Green Bay, the 49ers had season lows in points (10) and rush yards (44).
Defensively, the 49ers are giving up an average of 23 points a game, which has them tied for 20th in the NFL. They did just give up a season-high 38 points in their loss to the Packers.
They are ranked 11th against the run, sixth against the pass, but just 26th on third down. They've recorded 28 sacks in 11 games, and are giving up less than 200 yards a game passing.
Linebacker Fred Warner is a beast in the middle of the defense. He leads the team in tackles, but his stat line has a little bit of everything in it. Warner has three tackles for loss, six passes defended, four forced fumbles, a pair of picks, one sack and has scored a touchdown.
As for their pass rush, San Francisco is led by Nick Bosa, who has seven sacks, but has missed the last game with an injury.
Former Bills pass rusher Leonard Floyd, who joined the 49ers via free agency this past offseason, is next up with 6.5 sacks.
There are a couple of things to note about the 49ers' special teams unit.
San Francisco is on its third place kicker of the season, but Jake Moody has been good. He is 17-for-17 on extra point attempts and 18-of-22 on field goal attempts.
The coverage units have been an issue, though, as the 49ers are ranked dead last in punt coverage, and 26th on kick returns.
Related
Here are some bonus notes:
- A Bills victory would put them at 10-2 for the first time since 1991.
- A seventh-straight win would equal the longest win streak under head coach Sean McDermott.
- The Bills would improve to 8-0 coming out of the bye in the McDermott era.
- The Bills would be 6-0 at home, with games in Orchard Park against the New England Patriots and New York Jets remaining.
- San Francisco has won their last four games and five of their last six in the Eastern time zone.
- Josh Allen is 22-6 versus the NFC in his career. He has averaged 287 total yards a game, and has thrown 77 touchdown passes.
- The Allen-led Bills are 18-7 in prime-time games (7-2 at home, 6-2 on "Sunday Night Football")
- Allen has started one other time against San Francisco, and torched their defense on a Monday night in Dec. 2020. That game saw Allen go 32-of-40 for 375 yards and four touchdowns.
