Entering the 2024 NFL season, it wouldn’t have been unusual to find a Super Bowl prediction that included the Buffalo Bills or the San Francisco 49ers, or both. Josh Allen’s AFC team entered looking for its sixth direct playoff appearance. And Kyle Shanahan’s NFC juggernaut has reached 4 of the last 5 convention championships. But the two have continued on many other trips since then.
Both could remain in the playoff picture until the end of the season. Only Buffalo looks like a lock to really make the dance, though, thanks to Allen raising a solid, injury-tested backup lineup 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 later, Brock Purdy was the unheralded big-name starter who fell ill.
The 49ers may have Purdy back for Sunday’s meeting with the Expenses, but both are close, this is the topic to watch, with many implications in the playoff race. How can you listen to music? Which avid gamers could be X-factors? And who is prepared to win? Here is our preview and sports with a betting prediction for the expected showdown:
Expenses vs. 49ers where to next
Week: Sunday December 1 | Year: 8:20 pm Eastern Time
Location: Highmark Stadium (Orchard Terrain, Fresh York)
TV: NBC | Wave: fubo (attempt to detach)
Practice: CBS Sports App
Odd: Expenses -6.5, S/U 44.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
key matchups
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- Expenses WR Amari Cooper vs. 49ers CB Isaac Yiadom: With Keon Coleman recovering, Cooper could very well be Buffalo’s healthiest option in the backcourt, although Khalil Shakir has directed the most of Allen’s goals. He had some huge wins against the Kansas Town Chiefs on Round 11 and could face a San Francisco secondary in danger, with Deommodoire Lenoir banged up.
- 49ers TE George Kittle vs. Expenses S Taylor Rapp: With Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings struggling with bumps and bruises this year, Kittle has been the most stable moving outlet for Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Meanwhile, Rapp had a pick and a wild move in Buffalo’s win over the Chiefs. He may be most responsible for reaching Kittle’s buildup within the area.
- 49ers OT Trent Williams vs. Greg Rousseau Expenses: The San Francisco superstar sat out Matchday 11 with an ankle issue, so even if 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 simply be a necromancy problem for the 49ers’ offense, which has already struggled to reserve its ground in the trenches of backwardness.
burning questions
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- Expenses: Can Josh Allen’s reinforcements take Buffalo to every other level? 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 return to the lineup after their bye. Against a 49ers defense that has struggled to replicate the stinginess of the years, the Expenses could well be set for a straight-up game six with at least 30 numbers.
- 49ers: Does Kyle Shanahan have enough healthy firepower at his disposal? Between Purdy, Aiyuk, Samuel, Williams, Kittle and Christian McCaffrey, in 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 fair to be surprised 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 top-ranked opponents. That doesn’t mean they’re ready to take on this tough schedule, which continues Sunday against a rising Expenses contender. The moment Purdy certainly raises the ground for Shanahan’s offense, given that he is upright, the 49ers’ defense simply hasn’t been the same in 2024, and that unit will struggle to make a giant leap into the system. This is Allen. . Don’t expect a blowout, but this one feels destined to turn Buffalo’s tide as spending moves forward.
Select: Expenses 26, 49ers 21
Premium: SportsLine guru Micah Roberts, who is riding a 25-6 streak in 49ers games, has placed his best possible bets for the Date 13 game between the San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills. We’ll let you know it leans below the overall target, but who takes ATS?
