These are three matchups to watch in Week 13 for the Buffalo Bills against the 49ers.
The Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers are entering this matchup with very different records. The Bills are 8-3 and sitting in first place of their division while the 49ers are 5-6 and trying to secure a wild card spot.
Even though the records are different, this is a very even showdown that the Bills can’t take lightly. If they hope to come away with a victory on Monday night, these are four matchups that they need to win.
Sean McDermott vs. Kyle Shanahan
The most important matchup may be between two people who will never play a snap in this game. The Buffalo Bills head coach, Sean McDermott, has made a name for himself as one of the premier defensive-minded coaches while 49ers head coach, Kyle Shanahan, has built a reputation as one of the top offensive coaches.
These are two coaches who know each other well from their time in the NFC South. In 2015 and 2016, McDermott was the defensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers while Shanahan was the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons.
During that time, Shanahan seemed to win the battle as the Falcons won three of the four matchups during that two-year stretch. The Falcons also averaged a little over 25 points per game, including 48 points in one game.
However, McDermott’s Panthers did also keep the Falcons off the scoreboard and shut them out in one of their matchups.
This matchup though will be a little different as the 49ers’ offense and the Bills’ defense are having down years and the strengths of each franchise are on the other side of the ball. The coach that can elevate the group in their expertise could be the deciding factor.