The San Francisco 49ers (5-6) are in dire straights. Their season could, for all intents and purposes, be over if they lose to the Buffalo Bills (9-2) on Sunday Night Football. Unfortunately, San Francisco will be shorthanded for the affair, just as they were for their Week 12 contest.
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Friday afternoon, head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed which 49ers players would miss the Buffalo game. There were six players in total, including two of San Francisco’s biggest stars.
“[LG] Aaron Banks will be out. [DT] Jordan Elliott: out. [CB Deommodore] Lenoir: out. Nick Bosa: out. Trent Williams: out. [Linebacker Dre] Greenlaw: out. [LB Demetrious] Flanagan-Fowles: questionable. [WR] Chris Conley: questionable. [DT] Kevin Givens: questionable. [CB] Renardo Green: questionable.”
Shanahan also noted quarterback Brock Purdy (shoulder) is questionable. The third-year pro missed last week’s game against the Green Bay Packers with the ailment. Despite the designation, Shanahan told reporters that Purdy will play versus the Bills barring any setbacks.
“Lots of things can happen between now and then, but right now, he’s playing. He’s doing good. Had a good day.”
The 49ers should also get cornerback Charvarius Ward back on Sunday. The seven-year veteran has missed the past three games following the unfortunate death of his one-year-old daughter, Amani Joy, on Oct. 28. Shanahan further added that Ward is “trending toward playing” and that San Francisco is “excited to get him back out there.”
Josh Allen Was Unstoppable When San Francisco Last Faced Buffalo in Arizona
The world was an entirely different place the last time the 49ers and Bills battled one another. COVID-19, and the regulations on public activity, were prevalent in society, particularly in California. The city of Santa Clara – where San Francisco’s home stadium is located – introduced a ban on contact sports late that year. This ruling prevented the 49ers from playing true home games from Week 10 onward.
Shanahan and Co. met Buffalo on Monday Night Football in Week 13 that season. The Bills beat a Nick Mullens-led San Francisco squad 34-24 to improve to 9-3 and drop the reigning NFC Champions to 5-7.
The on-field circumstances for San Francisco this year – in terms of impact on their record – are identical. The off-field situation, though, couldn’t be more different. Shanahan reflected on it during his press conference, saying he “[didn’t] love” what the 49ers went through.
“We were living in Arizona, living in a hotel… it wasn’t a fun time in any of our lives… we weren’t allowed to go outside of our rooms, see people or anything like that. We got to meet at practice and meet at the stadium on gameday.”
Shanahan also recalled Josh Allen having “a hell of a game.” Buffalo’s signal-caller did indeed, completing 80% (32/40) of his passes for 375 yards and four touchdowns in the contest.
Josh Allen lit up the 49ers for 375 yards and four touchdowns while completing 80% of his passes in 2020.
Niners-Bills.
First day of December.
Week 13.
SNF.#NFLschedulerelease ️ pic.twitter.com/nmY0uHeB7h— Wolf Sports (@wolfsports) May 18, 2024
Those numbers came in Arizona’s domed stadium. Sunday night, Allen – and the 49ers – will have to contend with freezing temperatures and a forecasted nearly two feet of snowfall leading up to kickoff (per NBC’s Mike Tirico on Thursday). Those conditions could lead to a low-scoring affair that resembles last week’s Thursday Night Football game instead of the high-flying shootout most would normally anticipate.
