49ers No Match for Bills on Monday Night

Week 13 - Riding high after an uplifting victory on the road against a division rival, the San Francisco 49ers (5-6) were in prime position to right the ship and improve their record to .500 on the year, while also receiving some help in the division as both the Seahawks and Cardinals suffered losses. However, what was supposed to be a home game on Monday Night Football for the 49ers at Levi's Stadium, would instead take place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, home of the Arizona Cardinals. Hoping to still make themselves at home, their Week 13 opponent would be the 8-3 Buffalo Bills who had other plans. While the 49ers have yet to play at State Farm Stadium this season to take on the division rival Cardinals, the Bills would be making their second trip to the desert this season and playing in a stadium that would bring back bad memories of a heartbreaking loss that took place just three weeks earlier. Anxious to avenge that loss at the hands of Arizona which came on the final play of the game, the team that stood in front of them on Monday night did not matter as quarterback Josh Allen and company would not hesitate to take it out on a short-handed 49ers team. 

Having grown up attending 49er games at the now demolished Candlestick Park and a native of Firebaugh, California, Allen's homecoming wishes of facing the 49ers in the Bay Area for the first time, were cancelled due to the strict restrictions put in place by Santa Clara County where the 49ers' new stadium lies, which has banned the play of contact sports for at least the next few weeks. But that wouldn't stop the Bills QB from having a coming out party on primetime television. Seeking their first win on Monday Night Football since 1999, Buffalo came out guns blazing on offense as San Francisco won the coin-toss and elected to differ. Moving the ball with ease, the Bills setup shop inside the red zone before being stood up at the goal-line by the 49er defense after a gutsy decision to go for it on 4th and goal. Taking over at their own 2-yard line, the San Francisco offense would also march their way to their opponents goal-line before being denied at the doorstep and held scoreless. The Niners would be gifted a second opportunity on the very next play as a bobbled handoff exchange from Allen to his running back ended up in the hands of San Francisco's Fred Warner. Though it would take them until third down, the 49ers would finally punch it into the end zone when QB Nick Mullens found rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk for the 2-yard touchdown. 

If there was anything the 49ers' touchdown did other than give San Francisco the lead, it was anger Allen and the Bills offense which went on a scoring surge of their own by orchestrating six consecutive scoring drives. Highlighting a first half which saw Buffalo take a 17-7 lead into the locker room, the 49ers were left clueless when trying to find an answer for slot receiver Cole Beasley who had a career-high in receiving yards by halftime before finishing with a game-high 130 yards and a touchdown on 9 receptions. While the 49ers did open the second half with a field goal to make it a one-score game, Buffalo answered with a touchdown to maintain their distance. The 49er defense suffered a mental breakdown when defensive-lineman Kentavius Street was called for a roughing the passer penalty that turned a would-be 3rd & 18 into an automatic first down. Making matters worse, the Bills would find the end zone two plays later. Looking to string together consecutive scoring drives of their own, San Francisco would do no such thing as Nick Mullens had his pass intercepted as Aiyuk was unable to come up with the grab which he bobbled into the hands of a Buffalo defender. 

After another Bills field goal, the Niners finally struck pay dirt in the second half as a 49-yard reception by Aiyuk setup fullback Kyle Juszczyk who hauled in a touchdown reception from 6-yards out. A fourth and final Bills touchdown would make it a 34-17 ballgame with the 49ers in desperate need of a touchdown-scoring drive. They would march all the way to the red zone inside the 5-yardline before Mullens was intercepted for a second time on the evening when his pass was pried out of the hands of running back Jeff Wilson Jr. who collided with Buffalo's Tre'Davious White as he came away with the ball. After finally forcing a Bills punt, the 49ers were able to score with a garbage-time touchdown in the final minute when Mullens connected in the end zone with tight-end Jordan Reed. Falling by a final score of 34-24, the 49ers were unable to capitalize on the losses of several teams vying for Wild Card spots in the NFC playoff picture. As for the Bills who will accomplish back to back winning seasons for the first time since 1998-99 under the tutelage of head coach Sean McDermott, Buffalo won their first Monday Night Football game of the century behind a fabulous performance from QB Josh Allen. 

Becoming the first Bills QB to complete 80% of his passes while tossing 4 TD's in a game, Allen completed 32 of 40 pass attempts for 375 yards and 0 interceptions, meanwhile his counterpart Nick Mullens threw for 316 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions on 26 of 39 attempts. Aside from the aforementioned Cole Beasley who had a career-game receiving, wide-out Stefon Diggs also had a big night in the Buffalo receiving department, hauling in game-high 10 catches for 92 yards. Rookie Brandon Aiyuk led the way for San Francisco, catching five balls for 95 yards and a touchdown. Neither team had a monstrous game on the ground as Devin Singletary totted the rock 18 times for 61 yards for Buffalo, while both Jeff Wilson Jr. and Raheem Mostert shared the 49ers' workload to rush for 47 and 42 yards, respectively.  

Week 14 Preview - Continuing their stay at their home away from home in Glendale, Arizona, the 49ers (5-7) will play host to the Washington Football Team (5-7) in Week 14. Setting up a date against former 49er QB and first overall pick Alex Smith, Washington is riding high after handing the Pittsburgh Steelers their first loss of the season which took place earlier on Monday before the Niners faced the Bills. In what was their first win over Pittsburgh since 1991, the Washington Football Team has been playing inspiring football as of late after long journeys by both Smith who suffered a gruesome leg injury two seasons prior which almost cost him his leg, and head coach Ron Rivera who has had his own battle with cancer. Any thought of an easy game the 49ers had against Washington several weeks ago, can now be thrown out the window as San Francisco will need to bring their a-game if they want to get back in the win column. One way they can avoid another loss, although easier said than done, is by steering clear of the turnovers as the Monday night loss saw San Francisco commit at least two turnovers for the sixth consecutive game, their longest streak since 2008. If they're unable to do that and unable to hand Washington a loss, they can all but kiss their playoff hopes goodbye. 

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