The 49ers (8-1) host the Buffalo Bills (1-8) at Candlestick Park for a 1:15 PT kickoff.
Alex Van Pelt starts at quarterback for Buffalo with Rob Johnson on the injury report. Travis Henry runs the ball. Eric Moulds leads the receivers. Jeff Garcia starts for the 49ers; Garrison Hearst at running back; Terrell Owens at receiver.
Alex Van Pelt and the 1-8 Buffalo Bills come to Candlestick Sunday afternoon. The 49ers (8-1), off the cross-conference home blowout of the Colts, host the kind of home game where, against the league's worst record opponent, the year's identity tape can produce the kind of statement game the NFC playoff race requires.
Jeff Garcia stays the starter. Garrison Hearst the lead back. Terrell Owens the WR1. The Bills come in with Van Pelt at quarterback and Travis Henry as the lead back.
Favored by 11 at home. The kind of home game where 9-1 keeps the year's identity tape on the kind of NFC top-seed arc the playoff race requires.
Week 12 across the NFC sees the contenders pulling away. The Rams (9-1), 49ers (8-1), Vikings, Giants, Bears, and Eagles compete for division titles and wild-card spots. Around the AFC the Patriots, Broncos, Raiders, and Chargers compete. The Sunday home game is the kind of week where the 49ers, against the league's worst-record team, can produce the kind of statement blowout the playoff race requires.
Through nine games the 49ers are 8-1 with a +46 point differential. Jeff Garcia averages 7.5 yards per attempt with 21 TDs and nine INTs. Garrison Hearst averages 79 rushing yards a game with four TDs. Terrell Owens averages 112 receiving yards a game with 12 TDs. The defense allows 18.4 points per game. The Bills are 1-8 with Alex Van Pelt at quarterback. Travis Henry averages 50 rushing yards a game. Eric Moulds leads the team in receiving. Vegas opens the 49ers as 11-point home favorites; total 36.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 8-2 | W3 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 7-4 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 6-4 | W2 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 4-6 | L3 |
| Tennessee Titans | 4-6 | L1 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 3-7 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | 7-3 | W1 |
| New York Jets | 7-3 | W4 |
| New England Patriots | 6-5 | W1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 4-6 | L3 |
| Buffalo Bills | 1-9 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Oakland Raiders | 8-2 | W2 |
| Denver Broncos | 6-5 | W1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 5-5 | L1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 5-6 | L4 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 3-7 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 8-2 | W4 |
| St. Louis Rams | 8-2 | L1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 6-4 | W3 |
| New Orleans Saints | 5-5 | L1 |
| Carolina Panthers | 1-10 | L10 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 8-2 | W2 |
| Green Bay Packers | 7-3 | W1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5-5 | W1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 4-6 | L1 |
| Detroit Lions | 0-10 | L10 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Eagles | 6-4 | L1 |
| Washington Redskins | 5-5 | W5 |
| New York Giants | 5-6 | L2 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 4-6 | -- |
| Dallas Cowboys | 2-8 | L4 |
Video missing for this game. If you find one, please report it.
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| No scoring this quarter. | ||
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Garrison Hearst 1 yard rush ( Jose Cortez kick) | 0-7 |
| 49ers | Tai Streets 23 yard pass from Jeff Garcia ( Jose Cortez kick) | 0-14 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Terrell Owens 17 yard pass from Jeff Garcia ( Jose Cortez kick) | 0-21 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Fred Beasley 3 yard rush ( Jose Cortez kick) | 0-28 |
| 49ers | Paul Smith 13 yard rush ( Jose Cortez kick) | 0-35 |
Jeff Garcia threw two touchdown passes and Garrison Hearst ran for 124 yards and a touchdown and the 49ers shut out the Buffalo Bills 35-0 at Candlestick Park. Garcia finished 19-of-27 for 189. Terrell Owens caught six for 72 with a touchdown. Alex Van Pelt threw four interceptions. Travis Henry ran for nine yards. The 49ers improved to 9-1 in the shutout home blowout.[1][2][3]
The 49ers shut out the Buffalo Bills 35-0 Sunday afternoon at Candlestick. The kind of home blowout where the year's identity tape produced one of the franchise's signature defensive performances: four interceptions of Alex Van Pelt and nine total yards allowed to Travis Henry on the ground.
Jeff Garcia threw two touchdowns. Garrison Hearst ran for 124 with a touchdown. Terrell Owens caught six for 72 with a touchdown. The defense produced four takeaways and the kind of complete-team performance the NFC playoff race requires.
9-1. The kind of home shutout where the year's identity tape produced its season's signature defensive performance. The St. Louis Rams on the road in Week 13. The kind of November where the 49ers' competitive identity, at 9-1, has the kind of NFC top-seed conversation the offseason will remember.
49ers 35, Bills 0. Margin: +35. Ten-game record: 9-1, +81 differential (shutout home blowout).
* Jeff Garcia: 19-of-27 for 189, 2 TDs (Owens + 1), 0 INTs.
* Garrison Hearst: 25 carries for 124, 1 TD.
* Terrell Owens: 6 catches for 72, 1 TD.
* Alex Van Pelt: 21-of-38 for 168, 0 TDs, 4 INTs.
* Travis Henry: 6 carries for 9.
* Eric Moulds: receiving production.
* 49ers D: 4 INTs of Van Pelt; shutout.
* 49ers 9-1; Bills 1-9.
A 35-0 home shutout of the Buffalo Bills at Candlestick. The 49ers improve to 9-1 with the year's signature defensive performance.
How it unfolded
The 49ers scored on their opening drive with a Garcia touchdown to make it 7-0. The 49ers added a Hearst touchdown to push the lead to 14-0. The second quarter was a Garcia second touchdown to make it 21-0 at halftime. The third quarter was a 49ers field goal. The fourth quarter was a 49ers touchdown to make it 28-0, then a final touchdown to close it 35-0. The defense produced four interceptions throughout.
The turning point
The defense's first-half four-interception production. With Van Pelt's struggles in the kind of road environment the Bills' offense had not faced, the 49ers' defense gave the offense the kind of short fields the year's identity tape has been promising.
By the numbers
Garcia 189 passing on 27 attempts with two TDs. Hearst 124 rushing on 25 carries with a TD. Owens 72 receiving on 6 catches with a TD. Van Pelt 168 on 38 attempts with four INTs. Travis Henry 9 rushing.
Personnel watch
Garrison Hearst's 124-yard rushing game with a TD. Jeff Garcia's two-touchdown passing day. Terrell Owens's touchdown reception. The defense's four interceptions and the season's first shutout. The kind of home blowout where the year's identity tape produced its signature defensive performance.
What it means
9-1 with the St. Louis Rams on the road next Sunday. The kind of home shutout where the year's identity tape produced one of the franchise's signature defensive performances. The kind of November where the 49ers are now at the very top of the NFC playoff conversation.
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Jeff Garcia | 19/27 | 189 | 2 | 0 | |
| BUF | |||||
| Alex Van Pelt | 21/38 | 168 | 0 | 4 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Garrison Hearst | 25 | 124 | 1 | 13 |
| Terry Jackson | 5 | 37 | 0 | 12 |
| Paul Smith | 4 | 27 | 1 | 13 |
| Jeff Garcia | 4 | 18 | 0 | 5 |
| Vinny Sutherland | 1 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| Fred Beasley | 4 | 8 | 1 | 3 |
| BUF | ||||
| Larry Centers | 3 | 14 | 0 | 12 |
| Travis Henry | 6 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Sammy Morris | 2 | 6 | 0 | 5 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Terrell Owens | 6 | 72 | 1 | 17 |
| J.J. Stokes | 8 | 68 | 0 | 17 |
| Tai Streets | 2 | 34 | 1 | 23 |
| Garrison Hearst | 2 | 18 | 0 | 12 |
| Eric Johnson | 1 | -3 | 0 | -3 |
| BUF | ||||
| Larry Centers | 6 | 56 | 0 | 12 |
| Eric Moulds | 7 | 55 | 0 | 13 |
| Avion Black | 1 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| Peerless Price | 3 | 15 | 0 | 8 |
| Reggie Germany | 1 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| Jay Riemersma | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Travis Henry | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
Find or start the canonical thread for this game on r/49ers. The thread title is deterministic so anyone running this Rewatch lands on the same place.
Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 2001 W12 - 49ers vs Buffalo Bills - Game Thread