It’s a first in the 61-year history of the franchise.
Never, before tonight, have the Bills endured an in-season switch of sites for a road game.
Oh, Buffalo had a home game moved from Orchard Park to the indoor comfort of Detroit’s Ford Field in November of 2014 when a heavy snowstorm blanketed Ralph Wilson Stadium and the Bills and Jets were forced to play 275 miles to the west.
And, of course, there was that ill-fated but financially-rewarding stretch from 2008-13 when the Bills played one home game a season in Toronto.
This evening, though, when Buffalo meets the San Francisco 49ers at Glendale, Arizona’s, State Farm Stadium, will be the first time the Bills have played a road game at an alternate site.
The Niners, whose home field is in nearby Levi Stadium, fell victim when Santa Clara County declared a three-week moratorium on contact sports and practices due to a Covid-19 spike.
Thus, the 49ers scrambled to find an alternate site and came up with the home field of the Cardinals where they will stay for the next three weeks, practicing. They will also host Washington next Sunday and remain in Glendale until they play at Dallas a week later, before returning to San Francisco.
THE NINERS (5-6) got the news after beating the Rams for the second time this season last Sunday and settled on Arizona as the best option. And tonight (8:15 p.m., ESPN, 95.7 FM., 100.1 FM, 550 AM) the Bills (8-3) will look to maintain their lead in the AFC East (related story this page), in a stadium where three weeks ago they suffered the season’s most devastating defeat – 32-30 – thanks to a 43-yard “Hail Murray” touchdown pass from Cards quarterback Kyler Murray to wide receiver De’Andre Hopkins with two seconds to play.
Meanwhile, San Francisco remains alive in the NFC Wild Card playoff race, playing a game that oddsmakers interestingly rate a tossup.
THE 49ERS, who lost to Kansas City in last year’s Super Bowl, have staggered through an injury-plagued season – 15 players on injured reserve – and tonight they will be without eight key starters: quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, All-Pro tight end George Kittle, defensive ends Nick Bosa and Dee Ford, center Ben Garland, safety Jaquiski Tartt and cornerbacks Jamar Taylor and K’Waun Williams.
That on top of the fact they’re spending three-straight weeks in a hotel next to the stadium where one ballroom has been converted into a locker room and another has been reconfigured for weight training.
But the team has been philosophical.
Quarterback Nick Mullens, who replaced Garoppolo, allowed, “Once we got news we were going to Arizona, you pack your bags and go … you just roll with it, do the work and focus on what matters and that’s beating the Bills.”
Buffalo coach Sean McDermott offered a similar sentiment.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said of the venue change, “wherever they tell us to play, that’s where we’ll go to play. We can’t control that … it’s a home game for San Fran any way we look at it … we’re the road team.”
AND THOUGH, most of the Bills faithful have already rung up tonight’s game as a victory, due to the Niners’ injury woes, safety Jordan Poyer interjected words of caution.
“Once you get comfortable you’re going to get a rude awakening,” he said. “We have to come in with the mindset (San Francisco) is a hungry football team. (People) saw the win they had against the Rams … they’re a good football team.”
And San Francisco measures up well with Buffalo statistically.
The Bills are scoring an average of 27 points a game and giving up 26. For the Niners those figures are 24 and 23, respectively.
But, if you’re wondering why the line on tonight’s game is a “pick” it’s because of San Francisco’s defense.
The 49ers are sixth-best in fewest yards per game surrendered (315) while Buffalo is 21st (373). They’re fourth in least passing yards given up per game (207) while the Bills are 18th (244).
In rushing yards surrendered, San Francisco is 10th best (109) while Buffalo is 25th (130).
And, offensively, the Niners are closer to the Bills than might be expected, as besides scoring only three points fewer per game, the 49ers are only 11 behind in average offensive yardage (373-362) and a mere 17 less through the air (268-251).
But the most troublesome negative statistic for Buffalo is penalties. It has committed 77, tied for 31st of 32 NFL teams, and its 726 penalty yards are the league’s most.
BY CONTRAST to San Francisco, the Bills are fairly healthy.
The main question is whether outside linebacker Matt Milano (pectoral), who is eligible to come off injured reserve, will be activated. In his absence, free agent acquisition A.J. Klein has played three-straight strong games. Fellow linebacker Tyrel Dodson (hamstring) can also return from the same list.
However, wide receiver John Brown (ankle) will be on IR at least another week while guard Cody Ford (knee) is out for the season.
The other players listed on Buffalo’s Friday injury report will play tonight.
