As the 2024 NFL season begins, it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary to find a Super Bowl prediction that includes either the Buffalo Bills or the San Francisco 49ers, or both. Josh Allen’s AFC team came in looking for its sixth immediate playoff appearance. And Kyle Shanahan’s NFC juggernaut has captured four of the last five conference championships. But the two have persisted in many other trips since the closest one.
Both could clearly remain in the playoff picture until the end of the season. Best Buffalo looks like a lock to really make the dance, on the other hand, thanks to Allen raising a shuffled, injury-tested bracket forged along with a top-10 scoring defense under Sean McDermott. San Francisco, on the other hand, is trying to avoid a spiral in the crowded NFC West, now 5-6 closest, Brock Purdy, becoming the real big-name starter who traveled sick.
The 49ers will have Purdy back for Sunday’s meeting with the Expenses, but either way, this is the issue to watch, with many implications for the playoff race. How can you track it? Which players could be X factors? And who is prepared to win? Here is our sports betting preview and prediction for the planned matchup:
Expenses vs. 49ers where to watch
While: Sunday December 1 | Introduce: 8:20 pm Eastern Time
Location: Highmark Stadium (Orchard Soil, Fresh York)
TV: NBC | Current: fubo (range aiming)
Notice: CBS Sports App
Odd: Expenses -6.5, S/U 44.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
key matchups
fake images
- Expenses WR Amari Cooper vs. 49ers CB Isaac Yiadom: With Keon Coleman recovering, Cooper could be Buffalo’s healthiest option in the backcourt, even though Khalil Shakir has directed the most of Allen’s goals. He had some excellent appearances against the Kansas Town Chiefs in Day 11 and could face a vulnerable San Francisco secondary, with Deommodoire Lenoir banged up.
- 49ers TE George Kittle vs. Expenses S Taylor Rapp: With Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings dealing with bumps and bruises this year, Kittle has been the strongest outlet for Kyle Shanahan’s attack. Meanwhile, Rapp had a pick out and a deflected goal in Buffalo’s win over the Chiefs. He could be the one most responsible for going down to keep Kittle on track.
- 49ers OT Trent Williams vs. Greg Rousseau Expenses: The San Francisco superstar sat out Day 11 with an ankle issue, so while he fits in, he’ll be one to watch. Rousseau, for his part, has 5.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss as the engine of the Département attack. This matchup could be a problem for the 49ers’ offense, which has already had trouble gaining ground in the trenches of the backfield.
burning questions
fake images
- Spending: Can Josh Allen’s reinforcements outperform Buffalo in every other grade? The superstar quarterback has fared well even without a healthy arsenal of weapons, but rookie Keon Coleman and second-year tight end Dalton Kincaid could be back in the lineup closer to their bye. Facing a 49ers defense that has struggled to duplicate the stinginess of the generation of years, the Bills could be set for an immediate Game 6 with at least 30 problems.
- 49ers: Does Kyle Shanahan have enough healthy firepower at his disposal? Between Purdy, Aiyuk, Samuel, Williams, Kittle and Christian McCaffrey, referring to every big decision on the offensive end, they have battled injuries, or continue to do so, this season. Neither player was a disappointment on their own, but it’s a fair miracle if the club is too banged up to go toe-to-toe with an offensive powerhouse like the Expenses.
Prediction
Despite falling below .500, the 49ers are still very much alive in the NFC West playoff conversation, thanks to the equally fickle showing of section competitors. That doesn’t mean they’re prepared to face a tough schedule, which continues Sunday against a rising Expenses contender. Purdy’s year certainly sets the stage for Shanahan’s offense, given that he’s upright, the 49ers’ defense simply hasn’t been the same in 2024, and that unit will struggle to generate much of a rebound toward the device that is Allen. Don’t expect a blowout, but this one feels destined to change Buffalo’s path as spending progresses.
Select: Expenses 26, 49ers 21
Premium: SportsLine guru Micah Roberts, who is riding a 25-6 streak in 49ers games, has excepted his easiest bets for the matchup on the 13th between the San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills. We can tell you it’s leaning below the overall target, but who’s taking ATS?
