Plays that defined 2020: Week 13—Buffalo Bills at San Francisco 49ers

What if someone told you they had the audacity to miss a Buffalo Bills game? What if you could show them one play, and one play only, to recap the whole thing? What play would you choose? Welcome to Plays that defined 2020...

Week 13: Buffalo Bills at San Francisco 49ers

Due to COVID-19 protocols in Santa Clara County, the Buffalo Bills made their second trip to Glendale, AZ. The infamous site of the Hail Murray, would the Bills be cursed on these grounds or rise above the bad energy? After a punt then a fumble made it seem like it was leaning toward “cursed,” Buffalo went on six consecutive scoring drives. Four of which were touchdowns. The 49ers...did not do that.

Goal line stand (Q1, 1:38)

On their first drive of the game, Buffalo drove to the San Francisco one-yard line and went for it. An errant throw by Josh Allen was too much for Lee Smith to haul in. San Francisco took it right back the other way. Buffalo’s defense tightened up at the goal line. Unfortunately, a botched handoff to Zack Moss gave the ball right back to the 49ers—who still needed several more tries to get a touchdown. The score by quarter makes this game look closer through the first half than it really was. The defense played well and if it weren’t for a few early offensive miscues it could have gotten out of hand quickly. Well, more quickly.

Fourth-down conversion (Q2, 3:16)

As noted above, the Bills attempted a a fourth down on their first drive. They would try three in total for the day, converting this one and another later in the game. The easy field goals in all three cases wouldn’t even have been bad ideas based on the context of the game. But the Bills were looking to bury San Francisco. It was close, but Devin Singletary hit the edge and kept this drive alive to add a few shovels of dirt.

Dawson Knox touchdown (Q2, 2:47)

And this is soon after that conversion. Buffalo scored four touchdowns in total. This one to Dawson Knox was selected due to the effort by the entire team. Always the diva, Stefon Diggs avoids contact and Knox scored despite the selfishness of his teammate [/sarcasm].

Culture. Matters.

Gabriel Davis touchdown (Q4, 9:56)

Already up by ten in the fourth quarter, the Bills were faced with a fourth down. Buffalo took the right odds according to analytics nerds (like me) and went for it. The logic being that ten points is a two-score game. Kicking the field goal keeps it at a two-score game. Buffalo went for it on fourth, and then turned it into a three-score game two plays later with this toss to Gabriel Davis. Three scores with less than ten minutes to play. They made it look pretty easy too.

Tre White INT (Q4, 7:05)

This was the second interception of the day. Tre’Davious White kept it a three-score game. Buffalo would eventually allow another score, but only after the clock ran under one minute to go.

It’s time to vote for the play that defined the game. Remember, it’s the play that best tells the overall story of this contest, not necessarily a favorite play or best highlight.

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