49ers at BILLS
Take: BILLS -9
It’s the return to a starting QB role for Colin Kaepernick this weekend as the 49ers take on the Bills. Because of his controversial standing these days, there will be an unusual amount of focus on this game, although much of the social media conversation will be more about CK than what is taking place on the football field.
I’m not getting into Kaepernick’s politics. My task is to concentrate on the game and try to find the winning side. But Kaepernick clearly figures into the analysis, and in fact he’s probably the key figure in this game as far as that goes.
I am frequently of the opinion that a QB change can be a positive for a struggling team. It’s a great way to stir things up and create some excitement. Maybe that will be the case here, and if it plays out that way, I could end up having a very difficult time cashing a winning ticket on Buffalo.
But I’m really having trouble making a case for Kaepernick having a good game here. The guy has regressed somewhat remarkably from when he first arrived in the NFL. He simply isn’t close to where he was back in 2012 and 2013, and I’m not seeing why that’s suddenly about to change this Sunday.
I’m also not going to overlook the sudden improvement in the Buffalo defense. Sure, the Patriots were very shorthanded two weeks ago when they were blanked on home by the Bills. That was still a really impressive outing for the Buffalo defense. Last week, the Bills weren’t quite as dominant, but they made the big plays when they mattered most and earned a nice road win at the Rams.
The Bills are on a winning streak, while the 49ers have been in clunker mode since the impressive Week One shutout against the Rams. I’ve been around long enough to fully realize that momentum in the NFL can be very fleeting. And let’s just say that nothing in the NFL can shock me at this point.
But one thing I’m 100% sure of is that the Buffalo fan base will be at fever pitch on Sunday. They’re excited about their team being on a hot streak, and it’s an absolute certainty the crowd is going to be going crazy in an effort to put added pressure on Kaepernick. I can definitely see him committing a turnover or two here, especially given the potential rust factor. Steep number to be sure, but I’m siding with the Bills minus the points in this game.