Coming into the 2024 NFL season, it wouldn’t have been out of the ordinary to find a Super Bowl prediction featuring the Buffalo Bills or San Francisco 49ers, or both. Josh Allen’s AFC squad entered looking for its sixth straight playoff appearance. And Kyle Shanahan’s NFC juggernaut has reached four of the last five conference championships. Yet the two have endured much different journeys since then.
Both may well remain in the playoff picture by season’s end. Only Buffalo looks like a lock to actually make the dance, however, thanks to Allen elevating a shuffled and injury-tested supporting cast alongside a top-10 scoring defense under Sean McDermott. San Francisco, on other hand, is trying to avoid a spiral in the crowded NFC West, now 5-6 after Brock Purdy became the latest big-name starter to go down.
The 49ers could have Purdy back for Sunday’s meeting with the Bills, but either way, this one’s must-see material, with lots of playoff-race implications. How can you tune in? Which players could be X-factors? And who’s primed to win? Here’s our preview and sports betting prediction for the anticipated showdown:
Bills vs. 49ers where to watch
Date: Sunday, Dec. 1 | Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Location: Highmark Stadium (Orchard Park, New York)
TV: NBC | Stream: fubo (try for free)
Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds: Bills -6.5, O/U 44.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Key matchups
- Bills WR Amari Cooper vs. 49ers CB Isaac Yiadom: With Keon Coleman on the mend, Cooper could be Buffalo’s healthiest option on the perimeter, though Khalil Shakir has commanded the highest volume of Allen targets. He had a couple of big gains against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11 and could be up against a vulnerable San Francisco secondary, with Deommodoire Lenoir banged up.
- 49ers TE George Kittle vs. Bills S Taylor Rapp: With Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings all battling bumps and bruises this year, Kittle has been the steadiest pass outlet for Kyle Shanahan’s attack. Rapp, meanwhile, had a pick and a pass deflection in Buffalo’s win over the Chiefs. He could be most responsible for coming down to keep Kittle contained in the middle of the field.
- 49ers OT Trent Williams vs. Bills DE Greg Rousseau: San Francisco’s star left tackle sat out Week 11 with an ankle issue, so even if he suits up, he’ll be one to monitor. Rousseau, on the other hand, has 5.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss as the motor of the Bills’ front. This matchup could spell trouble for the 49ers offense, which has already struggled to hold its ground in the trenches of late.
Burning questions
- Bills: Can Josh Allen’s reinforcements take Buffalo to another level? The star quarterback has fared well even without a healthy arsenal of weapons, but field-stretching rookie Keon Coleman and second-year tight end Dalton Kincaid could both be back in the lineup after their bye. Against a 49ers defense that’s struggled to replicate the stinginess of years past, the Bills could be primed for a sixth straight game with at least 30 points.
- 49ers: Does Kyle Shanahan have enough healthy firepower at his disposal? Between Purdy, Aiyuk, Samuel, Williams, Kittle and Christian McCaffrey, just about every big name on the offensive side has battled injuries — or continues to do so — this season. None of the players have been disappointments in their own right, but it’s fair to wonder if the club is just too banged up to go toe to toe with an offensive powerhouse like the Bills.
Prediction
Despite dipping below .500, the 49ers are still very much alive in the NFC West playoff conversation, thanks to the similarly mercurial results of division rivals. That doesn’t mean they’re built to weather such a tough schedule, which continues Sunday against a soaring Bills contender. While Purdy certainly raises the floor for Shanahan’s offense, provided he’s upright, the 49ers’ defense just hasn’t been the same in 2024, and that unit will be hard-pressed to make a big leap forward against the machine that is Allen. Don’t expect a blowout, but this one feels destined to swing Buffalo’s way as the Bills roll forward.
Pick: Bills 26, 49ers 21
Bonus: SportsLine guru Micah Roberts, who is on a 25-6 roll on 49ers games, has released his best bets for the Week 13 San Francisco 49ers vs. Buffalo Bills game. We can tell you he’s leaning Under the point total, but who is he taking ATS?
