Game Recap

Bills 35, 49ers 10 | Final score, stats to know + game highlights

Dec 01, 2024 at 11:10 PM

Dorian Alerte

Contributing Correspondent

Buffalo Bills vs San Francisco 49ers, Regular Season, December 01, 2024 at Highmark Stadium.

Location: Highmark Stadium

Tickets distributed: 70,437

Final score: Bills 35, 49ers 10

Records: Bills (10-2), 49ers (5-7)

Next opponent: Bills at Rams on Sunday, December 8 at 4:25 pm ET

The Buffalo Bills secured the AFC East title for the fifth straight season with a 35-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night.

The Bills dominated on the ground, rushing for 222 yards as a team and 3 touchdowns on the ground. RB James Cook led the rushing attack with 107 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown. QB Josh Allen completed 13-of-17 passes for 148 yards and 2 touchdowns, including one to himself.

The defense forced three turnovers in the win, all of them fumble recoveries. LB Terrel Bernard amassed nine total tackles. In his first game back from injury, LB Matt Milano ended the game with five total tackles. DE Greg Rousseau had the only sack of the night and recovered a fumble.

Other notes from tonight's game:

Bills are 10-2 for the first time since 1991
Bills are the fourth team this century to win 10 games in six consecutive seasons (Patriots (17, 2003-2019), Chiefs (10, 2015-2024), Colts (9, 2002-2010)
Bills have won five straight AFC East titles for the first time in franchise history
Bills became the first NFL team to clinch a division title with five weeks left in the season since the Colts in 2009
Bills won their seventh consecutive regular season game in a season – 5^th time in franchise history (2022, 1990, 1988, 1964)
Bills are 8-0 coming off a bye week under Sean McDermott – NFL's best record since 2017

SHOP BILLS 2024 AFC CHAMPS GEAR

🏈1. 49ers strike first

After deferring to the second half, the 49ers kicked the ball off to the Bills offense. The Bills proceeded to go three-and-out and the 49ers took over and drove down the field to score the first points of the game and taking an early 3-0 lead.

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❄️2. Flurries of fun

Following the 49ers' opening drive, the Bills started their second drive of the game at their own 30. The Bills then executed a 13-play scoring drive, 10 of those plays being runs.

The offense utilized all three running backs to gain positive yardage and a 15-yard completion to TE Quintin Morris placed them at the 49ers' 38-yard line. Seven plays later, after a 13-yard run, RB Ray Davis bounced a run to the right side and leaped into the end zone, giving the Bills the lead 7-3.

🛷3. Dashing through the snow

The 49ers second drive of the game ended with a missed field goal and the Bills took over at their own 35-yard line.

Without missing a beat, RB James Cook took the hand off from QB Josh Allen and ran up the right sideline 65 yards into the end zone to score the Bills' second rushing touchdown of the night and expanding the lead to 11 points.

👍4. Josh Allen makes history, again

The Bills defense forced the 49ers to punt the football and forced the Bills to start deep in their own territory at their own 3-yard line.

On their way to scoring Allen's record-setting touchdown, he found a wide-open TE Dawson Knox down the field for 39 yards. With some room to breathe and the two minute warning, Cook added another 43 yards to his total and brought the offense to a third-and-goal at the seven-yard line. Allen waited patiently and threw a laser to WR Mack Hollins in the front right corner of the end zone to get the three-score lead.

With the touchdown pass, Josh Allen passed former Bills QB Jim Kelly for the most touchdowns in team history.

🥶5. Snow laughing matter

The 49ers started with the ball in the second half and were beginning to capitalize on their opportunity, driving down to the Bills four-yard line. On the next play, FB Kyle Juszczyk received the hand off and ran the ball to the one-yard line, but then S Taylor Rapp punched the ball free and it was recovered by CB Christian Benford, who ran up the right sideline for 43 yards.

😮6. Snow much fun

The 49ers got the ball back after the Bills punted the football back to them, however backed up on their own goal line, the 49ers punted it back to the Bills.

On fourth-and-two at the 49ers 25-yard line, Allen connected with a wide open WR Khalil Shakir for an 18-yard gain. On the ensuing play, Allen completed a short pass to WR Amari Cooper. While Cooper was in the process of being tackled, he lateraled the ball back to Allen, who ran the rest of the way and dove towards the left pylon to score the touchdown to bring the lead to 28-3.

👍7. More history for Josh Allen

Following a Bills punt, the 49ers looked to capitalize again as they did on their previous drive, however, QB Brock Purdy dropped back to pass and the ball slipped out of his hands and DE Greg Rousseau was there to recover the fumble.

It took the offense only four plays to score their fifth touchdown of the night. Allen scrambled to his right and cut through the defense to get into the end zone for the 10-yard touchdown run.

With the touchdown run, Allen became the first quarterback to have a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game.

8. Icing the game away

On the Bills next drive with 12:22 left in the fourth quarter, QB Mitchell Trubisky entered the game.

Consecutive punts by the Bills and the 49ers allowed the Bills to have possession one more time from their own 15- yard line and a combination of Davis and RB Ty Johnson were able to run the rest of the clock out, ending the game in victory for the Bills.

Lineup Notes: LB Matt Milano made his season debut after missing the first 11 games with a biceps injury, Milano has not played a game at home in 428 days; RT Spencer Brown made his return to the lineup after missing one game with an ankle injury; WR Amari Cooper played in his 150^th career game.

Key Stats and Facts:

The Bills have scored at least one rushing touchdown in 11 of 12 games this season, tied with the Ravens, Lions and Eagles for most games with a rushing touchdown this season.
James Cook's 65-yard touchdown run is the longest TD run by a Bills player since LeSean McCoy in 2016.
James Cook has 100 rushing yards in the first half of a game for the second time in his career (also 104 on 12/17/2023 vs Dal). No other Bills player has rushed for 100 yards before halftime since 2017.
Josh Allen (245) has passed Jim Kelly (244) for the most total touchdowns in Bills history
The 21-3 lead is the largest halftime lead against the 49ers since November 5, 2020 (Packers 21-3).
Taylor Rapp is the 10^th different Bills player to force a fumble this season.
Josh Allen became the fourth player to complete a touchdown pass to themselves since 1960.
Josh Allen became the 1^st QB ever with a passing, rushing, receiving td in the same game.
Allen now has his 22^nd game with 2 touchdown passes + 1 rushing touchdown – tied for the most in NFL history (Cam Newton).
The Bills have scored 30 points in six straight games, tying the longest streak in franchise history (11/21/2004 - 12/26/2004).

Scoring Plays:

7:44 1Q | BUF 0 SF 3 | Jake Moody 33-yard field goal is GOOD.

0:08 1Q | BUF 7 SF 3 | Ray Davis right end for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

8:48 2Q | BUF 14 SF 3 | James Cook right tackle for 65 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

0:47 2Q | BUF 21 SF 3 | Josh Allen pass short right to Mack Hollins for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

6:05 3Q | BUF 28 SF 3 | Josh Allen pass short left to Amari Cooper to SF 9 for -2 yards. Lateral to Josh Allen for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

3:00 3Q | BUF 28 SF 10 | Isaac Guerendo left end for 15 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

12:39 4Q | BUF 35 SF 10 | Josh Allen scrambles right tackle for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN.