The San Francisco 49ers came into hostile territory as they played the Bills hot off of a three-game win streak while the Niners came in losers of four straight. The Bills entered with a record of 3-2 on the season while the 49ers were 1-4. Two teams trending in very different directions as the Bills have relied upon their identity of a power run game accompanied by a stingy defense while the Chip Kelly led Niner’s were looking for any spark they could to ignite their season.
All eyes were on Colin Kaepernick in his first start of the 2016 season as the Buffalo faithful poured on the boo’s early and often. Not having thrown a single pass all season and playing sparingly in the preseason, Kaepernick looked the part as on his first drive overthrew and open Torrey Smith in the end zone and looked reluctant to run with the ball.
It was, however, the 49ers that would start the scoring as they turned a fumble recovery caused by their Oregon counterparts, Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner into a Phil Dawson 33-yard field goal. Buckner and Armstead would finish with a combined three sacks and two forced fumbles with one fumble recovery. The Bills though as they have done so often in recent weeks answered back with an 11-play 75-yard drive topped off with a LeSean McCoy touchdown for his fourth rushing score of the season.
As quick as the Bills took the lead it was quickly erased on a 4-play 75-yard drive by the 49ers. Kaepernick in the second quarter though would begin to shake off the rust. Connecting with receiver Torrey Smith to take advantage of a blown defensive assignment for a 53-yard touchdown pass, his first of the season.
As big of story Colin Kaepernick and his first score of the season was, in this one the spotlight was all on LeSean McCoy who ran wild in the first half. McCoy, taking on his former head coach Chip Kelly, who traded him to Buffalo prior to the 2015 season. Adding on to his big first half with runs of 38, 24, and 12 yards to go along with a score, McCoy giving the Bills the ground game they have been reliant on. McCoy, has accounted for over 100 yards from scrimmage in all of the Bills wins this season, proving to be a real offensive catalyst for them.
The Bills and Niner’s would swap field goals and go into halftime with the Bills up 17-13. Ending the first half the Bills picked up 164 yards on the ground, 106 of them coming courtesy of McCoy before he suffered a knee injury to end the half.
The defense for both of these teams showed up after the half. In the first half, the two teams combined for one turnover and no sacks, while the numbers on the defensive side of the ball may not have been there the big hits certainly were. It was not until a third down scramble for 29-yards by Kaepernick did any of the offensive units show up later in the third. Showing the great ball carrier vision and athleticism that at one point made him a star in this league, Kaepernick showed glimpses of his potential escaping defenders and making plays upfield. Kaepernick would finish his season debut with a respectful stat-line of over 180 passing yards and a score while leading the Niners in rushing with 65 plus yards on the ground.
It was the newest Bill making his name known the home crowd, however. Justin Hunter, bringing in his second catch and the second touchdown as a Bill on a 30-yard strike from Tyrod Taylor in the back of the end zone. Hunter, was signed by the Bills earlier this month after beginning his career with the Tennessee Titans. The balance offensive attack as in recent weeks under offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn kept on rolling for the Bills. Although they have week in and week outranked near the bottom of the league in passing stats their run game has provided all the offense they have needed to keep the attack balanced. Adding on the damage on their first drive of the fourth the Bills put together another successful drive resulting in McCoy’s third touchdown of the game. A forced fumble by the reigning AFC defensive player of the week, Nickell Robey-Coleman, on the ensuing kickoff recovered by Buffalo put this one all but out of reach as the Bills would hold on for the fourth consecutive victory and their fourth win of the season. The Bills move to 3-0 over the NFC West on the season following the victory and the Niners fall to 1-5 following Colin Kaepernick’s season debut.
The Bills as a team finished with over 250 yards on the ground as the Chip Kellys run defense was non-existent. Another late touchdown pass for the Bills gave them a 45-16 victory. The Bills will move to 4-2 and will head to Miami next week to take on their division foe the Dolphins. With their four-game win streak, the Bills are undoubtedly one of the hottest teams in the league as they are one of the only teams in the NFL to have a four-game win streak in 2016.
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