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The San Francisco 49ers don’t play, but there has been some interesting line movement. The 49ers were 3-point underdogs last Tuesday. They’re currently 1-point favorites. You don’t see those types of swings in the NFL. Buffalo has a lot of “fools gold” to them while San Francisco needs a victory to keep their season alive.
The San Francisco 49ers have had a difficult relationship with the city of Santa Clara. The team had no issues with Santa Clara County, until recently.
Hard feelings remain regarding the manner in which the county handled the decision to issue an order that forced the 49ers to play its home games elsewhere.
The team and Santa Clara County previously had great communication. Per multiple sources, at one point before the order was issued, the county asked the 49ers to consider creating a soft bubble, one that entailed players and coaches coming to work and going home, with no shopping, dining out, etc. The team agreed and briefed the players.
The 49ers heard nothing further regarding its agreement to the county’s request. Then, the county decided to shut it all down, without giving the team advance notice of the decision before it was announced or otherwise explaining why the soft bubble approach wouldn’t work.
Is Cole Beasley in line for a big game?
The 49ers have been hit hard by injuries. One spot where the 49ers are most vulnerable is at the slot cornerback position.
The team’s top two nickelbacks, K’Waun Williams and Jamar Taylor, will not suit up on Monday. Williams is currently out with an ankle injury and Taylor’s season recently came to an end after tearing his ACL. San Francisco’s next man up, Emmanuel Moseley, has been limited this week with a hamstring injury.
Whether it is Moseley or the 49ers’ fourth option at the nickel cornerback spot, Cole Beasley should find himself in a favorable matchup. Considering Beasley’s ability to beat the best of the best off the line, the Bills should make getting Beasley the ball a focal point on Monday night.
NFL schedule: Which Week 13 games matter for 49ers playoff push
There’s an argument to be made that a Rams loss is better for the 49ers in this one. They’re sitting at 7-4, and a loss combined with a 49ers win puts San Francisco a game behind LA and Arizona. On the other hand, a Cardinals loss combined with a 49ers victory ties San Francisco with their temporary stadium-mates. A Cardinals loss combined with a 49ers loss keeps San Francisco in the thick of the race.
The 49ers should root for: The Rams
Importance scale: 9.1
X’s and O’s: How 49ers’ run scheme will make Bills’ D react on the fly
The 49ers make it more complicated with other linemen pulling to the outside or a receiver jet-sweeping across the formation and joining Juszczyk as a blocker.
“It is hard,” said Bills safety Jordan Poyer of the back-end run support assignments. “Your gap might be in front of you. When they motion or jet, now you’ve got to go to the next gap. Then, shoot, they might bring someone back to you, and now your gap is the same gap that you were in before.”
“It’s going to be a lot of film study, a lot of getting together with the guys watching the tape because this is a good offense, and they’re a hungry football team,” Poyer said.
Sherman and the 49ers’ defense did enough to snap a three-game losing streak and continue their recent success over the Rams, but the challenges don’t diminish this week as San Francisco will face the Buffalo Bills on Monday. Stefon Diggs is Buffalo’s top wideout, and already has 80 catches for 945 yards and four touchdowns through 11 games.
How the 49ers’ secondary is able to contain the speed of Diggs and the rocket arm of Bills quarterback Josh Allen will be a critical part of keeping San Francisco in this game.
We’ll see if Sherman can build off of last week’s strong return to the lineup in primetime.