The 49ers (3-1) host the Buffalo Bills (2-2) at Candlestick Park for a 1:25 PT kickoff.
Ryan Fitzpatrick leads the Bills' offense. Chan Gailey coaches Buffalo. C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson split the backfield. Alex Smith continues for the 49ers. Frank Gore at lead back.
Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Bills come into Sunday afternoon at 2-2. C.J. Spiller has been the surprise of the year, averaging 90 scrimmage yards per game. Fred Jackson continues to share the backfield. Stevie Johnson at WR1.
The 49ers, at 3-1 with the Jets road shutout fresh, host the Bills in the kind of Sunday-afternoon home game where the year-two team extends the win streak. Alex Smith's fifth start. Gore at lead back.
Favored by 7 at home. The Sunday-afternoon home game is the kind of spot where the year-two team's competitive identity extends in the cross-conference matchup.
Week 5 is the early-October cross-conference sort. The Falcons (4-0), Cardinals (4-0), and Texans (4-0) lead their conferences. The 49ers (3-1), Cowboys (2-2), and Giants (3-1) compete in the NFC. The Patriots, Steelers, and Ravens lead the AFC. The Sunday home game is the kind of week the year-two team handles cross-conference business at home against a competitive Bills opponent.
Through four games the 49ers are 3-1 with a +39 point differential. The Bills are 2-2 with a +30. Ryan Fitzpatrick 9 TDs and 2 INTs through 4 games. C.J. Spiller averages 90 scrimmage yards per game. Fred Jackson 200 rushing in 4 games. Stevie Johnson 25 catches in 4 games. Vegas opens the 49ers as 7-point home favorites; total 41.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 2-2 | L1 |
| New England Patriots | 2-2 | W1 |
| New York Jets | 2-2 | L1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 1-3 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Ravens | 3-1 | W2 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 3-1 | W3 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 1-2 | L1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 0-4 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Houston Texans | 4-0 | W4 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 1-2 | L1 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 1-3 | L1 |
| Tennessee Titans | 1-3 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego Chargers | 3-1 | W1 |
| Denver Broncos | 2-2 | W1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1-3 | L1 |
| Oakland Raiders | 1-3 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | 4-0 | -- |
| San Francisco 49ers | 3-1 | W1 |
| St. Louis Rams | 2-2 | W1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 2-2 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Eagles | 3-1 | W1 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 2-2 | L1 |
| New York Giants | 2-2 | L1 |
| Washington Redskins | 2-2 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 3-1 | W2 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 3-1 | W2 |
| Green Bay Packers | 2-2 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 1-3 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | 4-0 | W4 |
| Carolina Panthers | 1-3 | L2 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1-3 | L3 |
| New Orleans Saints | 0-4 | L4 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | David Akers 19 yard field goal | 0-3 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bills | Rian Lindell 31 yard field goal | 3-3 |
| 49ers | Kyle Williams 43 yard pass from Alex Smith ( David Akers kick) | 3-10 |
| 49ers | Michael Crabtree 28 yard pass from Alex Smith ( David Akers kick) | 3-17 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Frank Gore 1 yard rush ( David Akers kick) | 3-24 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Mario Manningham 10 yard pass from Alex Smith ( David Akers kick) | 3-31 |
| 49ers | Colin Kaepernick 16 yard rush ( David Akers kick) | 3-38 |
| 49ers | Anthony Dixon 3 yard rush ( David Akers kick) | 3-45 |
Frank Gore ran for 106 yards and a touchdown and Alex Smith threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns as the 49ers crushed the Buffalo Bills 45-3 at Candlestick Park. Vernon Davis caught two TDs. Mario Manningham caught one. Kendall Hunter ran for 56 and a touchdown. The 49ers' defense produced four sacks. The 49ers improved to 4-1 with their fifth-largest blowout of the Harbaugh era.[1][2][3]
Alex Smith threw three touchdowns Sunday afternoon at Candlestick Park. Frank Gore ran for 106 yards. The 49ers crushed the Buffalo Bills 45-3 in the kind of Sunday-afternoon home blowout where the year-two team's competitive identity extended the win streak to two.
Vernon Davis caught two touchdowns. Mario Manningham caught one. Kendall Hunter ran for 56 yards and a touchdown. Randy Moss caught three for 36. David Akers kicked three field goals. The kind of Sunday-afternoon home game where the offense produced 45 points and the defense did its job.
Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 175 yards. C.J. Spiller ran for 64. Fred Jackson ran for 27. The 49ers' defense generated four sacks. The kind of Sunday-afternoon home blowout where the year-two team's competitive identity, in two-straight wins, was in full operation. 4-1 with the Giants at home next.
49ers 45, Bills 3. Margin: +42. Five-game record: 4-1, +81 differential.
A 45-3 home blowout of the Buffalo Bills at Candlestick Park. The 49ers improve to 4-1 in their largest margin of victory of the Harbaugh era.
How it unfolded
Gore ran in a touchdown to give the 49ers an early lead. Smith threw a touchdown to Vernon Davis. Smith threw a second touchdown to Davis. The 49ers led 21-3 at halftime. The third quarter was a Kendall Hunter rushing touchdown and a Mario Manningham touchdown reception. The fourth quarter was another field goal drive and a defensive stop. Final 45-3.
The turning point
Smith's first-half second touchdown to Vernon Davis. With the year-two team's offense in operation and the home crowd back at Candlestick after the Vikings road loss, Davis's second touchdown reception pushed the lead to 21-3 and the rest of the day was a comfortable blowout.
By the numbers
Smith 18-of-24 for 303 with three TDs (75 percent completion percentage). Gore 19 carries for 106 with a TD. Davis 6 catches for 106 with two TDs. Manningham 5 catches for 71 with a TD. Hunter 12 carries for 56 with a TD. Moss 3 catches for 36. Fitzpatrick 19-of-30 for 175. The 49ers' four sacks.
Personnel watch
Gore's second 100-yard game of the year. Vernon Davis's two-touchdown game. Smith's three-touchdown day producing 75 percent completions. The defense's four sacks. The kind of Sunday-afternoon home performance where the year-two team's competitive identity was the year's high.
What it means
4-1 with the Giants at home next week. The Sunday-afternoon home blowout extends the win streak to two and confirms the year-two team's competitive identity. The Giants on Sunday next is the rematch from the 2011 NFC Championship loss.
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Alex Smith | 18/24 | 303 | 3 | 0 | |
| Colin Kaepernick | 1/1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | |
| BUF | |||||
| Ryan Fitzpatrick | 16/26 | 126 | 0 | 1 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Frank Gore | 14 | 106 | 1 | 31 |
| Kendall Hunter | 11 | 81 | 0 | 26 |
| Alex Smith | 3 | 49 | 0 | 24 |
| Colin Kaepernick | 4 | 39 | 1 | 16 |
| Anthony Dixon | 4 | 21 | 1 | 9 |
| Bruce Miller | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Kyle Williams | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| BUF | ||||
| Brad Smith | 1 | 35 | 0 | 35 |
| Fred Jackson | 9 | 29 | 0 | 7 |
| C.J. Spiller | 7 | 24 | 0 | 12 |
| Ryan Fitzpatrick | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Michael Crabtree | 6 | 113 | 1 | 36 |
| Vernon Davis | 5 | 106 | 0 | 53 |
| Kyle Williams | 2 | 50 | 1 | 43 |
| Mario Manningham | 4 | 26 | 1 | 10 |
| Randy Moss | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Garrett Celek | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| BUF | ||||
| Scott Chandler | 4 | 40 | 0 | 20 |
| Stevie Johnson | 6 | 39 | 0 | 14 |
| T.J. Graham | 2 | 28 | 0 | 19 |
| Donald Jones | 2 | 13 | 0 | 8 |
| Fred Jackson | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Brad Smith | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
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