The San Francisco 49ers face off against Tyrod Taylor and the Buffalo Bills this weekend. The Bills have won three straight games, and while the defense has been the key, Taylor has made some big plays for them. Over the last three weeks, his numbers are as follows:
Week 3: 14/25, 119 yards, 1 interception, 9 rushes for 76 yards, 1 touchdown
Week 4: 27/39, 246 yards, 1 touchdown, 5 rushes for 28 yards
Week 5: 12/23, 124 yards, 2 touchdowns, 5 rushes for 28 yards
Among quarterbacks, Football Outsiders ranks him No. 19 in DYAR and DVOA, and No. 6 in QBR. Among quarterbacks with at least two rushing attempts, he ranks No. 12 in DYAR, and No. 22 in DVOA.
The 49ers faced some form of “mobile” quarterback in three games this season. They faced Cam Newton in Week 2, Russell Wilson in Week 3, and Dak Prescott in Week 4. Newton had some success with six runs for 37 yards. Wilson and Prescott combined for six yards on six carries. That does not factor in scrambling in the pocket before a throw, so we can only take so much from that. The most significant challenge in this game is going to be LeSean McCoy, but Taylor is not somebody the 49ers can overlook.
Taylor spoke to 49ers media via conference call. Here’s what he had to say.
You’ve come out here the last summer, two summers ago to participate in [Colin Kaepernick’s] golf tournament. Is that right?
Yes I did.
Why did you do that? And can you describe your guys’ relation on why you bonded so well.
Well like I said we met, coming out of college. Being down there training for months, leading up to the combine. And I’ll just say it was these guys pushing each other. Similar games as far as duel threat quarterbacks. Learning each other, our relationship just built over the years. We choose to train with each other from each year, after that last year was the first year where we didn’t train against, we were training with each other. So just trying to push each other each summer. A couple years back he invited out me to his golf tournament for his charity foundation. Like I said, I didn’t hesitate to go. He’s a good friend of mine. Beyond football, just a good friend and a good person.
What kind of encouragement has he been giving you over the last year and a half, especially this season too?
We talked more about having the transition I made from Baltimore. Definitely said that I could play, just was a matter of time before I got the opportunity. I watched him, kept up with him, during my time in Baltimore while he was playing in San Fran, we were going against him when he was a backup in San Fran, we competed against each other in the Super Bowl together. Definitely been a fan of his and a good friend of mine.
What were your impressions of the national anthem protests when you caught wind of it and whether you thought of doing the same?
Each person that has stood up for the things they believe in have the right to do so. I don’t knock it, or have anything against it. He definitely has a reason for why he believes and why he’s protesting the national anthem. That’s strictly his opinion and he has the right to do so. I don’t think anyway about him as far as doing it or not.
Have you guys talked about those issues at all?
No, I haven’t got a chance to talk to him since the regular season started. Both of us are pretty busy. And it’s always hard talking west coast to east coast. We’ll definitely get a chance to talk this weekend.
With the change in coordinators have you been asked to do different things offensively?
We’ve kept a bunch of our core plays, but I’ll say the different things in some of the no-huddle stuff we’ve been doing and a couple of different changes to our game. So that’s definitely something that’s been new. Think we’ve definitely benefited from it as an offense so gotta keep building on that.
Has the run game or the way it’s called or the plays that are called, has changed that much?
Of course with our offensive coordinator. Coach Lynn, our running backs coach and having a running back background definitely has a great fit for what Shady likes to run, and the things he says he’s better at. So I think he’s definitely got Shady into some great situations for him to go out there and make some plays and Shady takes it upon himself to go out there and make plays. He’s made some guys miss and he’s created opportunities for himself in the passing game and running game.
You sense that this upcoming game is important to McCoy for playing Chip Kelly again?
Definitely, the game is definitely important to him, it’s important to all of us. Anytime you play at home it’s definitely a big game. You want to represent your home field well, but any game is definitely a big game but as far as going to play against a coach that he used to play for, definitely big game for him.
The Niners lost Navarro Bowman a couple games ago, what guy on that defense do you have to be most fearful for?
They have a bunch of guys that are very good players. Of course Navarro was one, but they have a very solid front seven. Ahmad Brooks is one of the guys who has been around for awhile, definitely has been playing at a high level for awhile, keep him on your radar or leave him on your back-end. You have veterans like Antoine Bethea, you have versatile guys like Eric Reid and the corners are doing a good job of covering as well. Definitely sound defense. Have to execute and take care of the football when you play against these guys.
Would you like to have more put on your plate as far as dropping back and throwing the ball?
I think I’ve had a bunch put on my plate. Each game dictates how we throw as . This past week we played a game where I threw a whole bunch. The week before we were against New England, we were able to throw the ball—I don’t remember the actual numbers, 35 times? But each game dictates a little more. We have to do whatever it takes to win a football game. I don’t play for stats, I don’t play for fantasy points, I play to win football games, and do whatever it takes to do that.