Why Sean McDermott should keep Bills fans optimistic heading into Week 13 and the 49ers game.

There are several reasons for Buffalo Bills fans to be optimistic heading into Week 13. Sunday Night Football clash with San Francisco 49ers (and the last six games of the season), but there’s something that’s perhaps overlooked as the team prepares for their upcoming prime-time game: recent history is on their side.

Buffalo is coming off Week 12 and head coach Sean McDermott is coming off a week-long layoff undefeated since taking over the team in 2017. With wins against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2017, the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2018, the Miami Dolphins in 2019, the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020, the Dolphins again and the Green Bay Packers in 2021. Saying goodbye 7-0. in 2022 and the Kansas City Chiefs last season.

This is the hallmark of a good coach; The bye week can sometimes be dangerous as players and coaches have the opportunity to lose focus, but McDermott has historically never let that happen. Their team never looks like they haven’t played football for two weeks after going bye; Also consider that the Bills are a perfect 5-0 at home this year, and this Sunday’s game will be at Highmark Stadium, and the ball will be firmly in Buffalo’s court this week.

The 49ers don’t look like the team that has appeared in the NFC Championship game in four of the last five seasons through the first 12 weeks of the 2024 season, as they currently sit in last place in the NFC West at 5-6. . They’re still a talented team coached by Kyle Shanahan, one of the league’s brightest offensive minds, but they’ve been decimated by injuries. and they may be without quarterback Brock Purdy again this week.

McDermott has a 1-0 career record against San Francisco, a 2020 game in which he threw for 375 yards and four touchdowns against Josh Allen’s boyhood club. There’s a list of reasons – including McDermott’s skill in the bye week – why Buffalo should do take care of business this weekend against San Francisco, but games aren’t played on paper; The bench boss will make sure to prepare his team for inter-conference play.

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