Week 13 has delivered multiple memorable moments around the league, and the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers are looking to put their stamp on one in the final game of Sunday’s action. Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, was blanketed by snow over the weekend, but things should be clear for the game.
The Bills return from their bye and will look to keep pace with the Kansas City Chiefs at the top of the AFC. Josh Allen has Buffalo humming, winning six consecutive games while scoring 30 points or more in five straight. The Bills can secure their fifth consecutive AFC East crown with a win on “Sunday Night Football.”
The visiting 49ers come into this showdown with a 5-6 record. For the first time since 2020, the defending NFC champs have a losing record this late in the season. Running back Christian McCaffrey will play in his fourth game after missing the first two months of the season and will look to make an impact against a Bills defense tied with the fourth-highest yards per carry allowed entering Week 13.
Quarterback Brock Purdy is expected to return under center for the Niners after he missed last week’s game against the Green Bay Packers with a right shoulder injury. The Bills have afforded themselves a cushion in the AFC East, but the 49ers find themselves with their backs against the wall with six games remaining in the regular season.
USA TODAY Sports will provide live updates, highlights and more from the “Sunday Night Football” matchup between the Bills and 49ers below. All times are Eastern.
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On the first play of the fourth quarter, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy had the ball slip out of his hands before attempting a pass.
Greg Rousseau recovered the loose ball for the Bills, who take over at the 49ers’ 25-yard line in great position to add to their lead.
Isaac Guerendo — who the 49ers drafted in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft — scampered to the end zone on a toss play for a 13-yard touchdown.
It was the 49ers’ first touchdown of the game and gave the downtrodden team hope. The Bills followed that up with a three-and-out, so maybe there’s a chance of a comeback? Maybe?
Josh Allen and Amari Cooper teamed up for a wild play befitting of the winter wonderland conditions in Orchard Park, N.Y.
Allen hit Cooper on a short pass. As Cooper was engulfed by 49ers defenders, the wide receiver lateralled the ball to Allen, who ran toward the end zone and dove for the pylon for a fun, 7-yard touchdown play.
The touchdown capped a six-play, 44-yard drive that included a fourth-and-2 conversion by Allen and receiver Khalil Shakir that went for 18 yards the play for the Cooper-Allen hijinks.
Pinned deep in their own territory with the ball at their own 6-yard line, the 49ers could not muster a single yard and were forced to punt the ball back to the Bills.
An 8-yard return by Brandon Codrington set the Bills up at the 49ers’ 44-yard line and in a good position to add to their lead.
Following Kyle Juszczyk’s fumble, the Bills went three-and-out and did not extend their lead against the 49ers. The counts as a win for the 49ers defense, preventing the game from getting further out of hand.
The 49ers’ fullback took an inside handoff all the way to the 1-yard line when safety Taylor Rapp punched the ball out of his arms. Bills cornerback Christian Benford scooped up the fumble and returned it 43 yards to the Buffalo 48.
The Bills take over just outside of 49ers territory with less than 12 minutes left in the third quarter.
Deebo Samuel took the opening kickoff of the second half from the 49ers’ 3-yard line and returned it 60 yards into Bills territory. San Francisco will start the first possession of the second half on the Buffalo 37.
The 49ers were able to put together a quick drive into the edge of Jake Moody’s field goal range (under normal conditions) to close out the first half. The kicker’s 55-yard attempt had the right line but ended up falling well short of the uprights as time expired in the first half. It was his second missed field goal of the game.
At halftime, it’s 21-3 Bills. San Francisco will receive the kick to open the second half.
Buffalo’s latest drive began on their own 3-yard line and ended with a Mack Hollins touchdown catch in the front-right corner of the end zone. It took the Bills just nine plays to travel 97 yards and extend their lead to 21-3.
It’s an 18-point game with under a minute to play in the first half.
Jordan Mason, filling the lead running back role in relief of the injured Christian McCaffrey, rushed into Buffalo territory with a 28-yard run on the first play of the 49ers’ drive. San Francisco is on its way toward field goal range near the halfway point of the second quarter.
49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey headed back to the locker room after his trip to the medical tent. The team announced he has a knee injury and is questionable to return to tonight’s game.
On the first play of the Bills’ second drive of the game, James Cook took off down the right sideline and broke away from every defender for a 65-yard rushing touchdown.
Tyler Bass knocked through the ensuing PAT, and it’s 14-3 Bills with 8:38 remaining in the first half.
The 49ers’ drive ended after nine plays and 48 yards at the Buffalo 27. Jake Moody’s second field goal attempt of the night had the range but ended up wide left.
It’s still 7-3 Bills with 8:48 left in the second quarter.
On a first down play in the second quarter, 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey took a handoff but slid behind the line of scrimmage for a five-yard loss just a few steps into his run. He immediately jogged off of the field and entered the blue medical tent on the 49ers’ sideline after the play.
According to NBC sideline reporter Melissa Stark, both teams have chicken broth and hot chocolate on their sidelines to battle the cold. It’s 27 degrees and snowing in Orchard Park, New York, but it feels like 17 degrees with the 11 mph winds.
Buffalo took the lead with a 70-yard touchdown drive that included four successful third-down conversions, one of which was a gritty, seven-yard run by quarterback Josh Allen. It was Ray Davis who crossed the goal line in the end. His 5-yard rush followed a 13-yard run up the middle on third-and-1 one play earlier.
It’s 7-3 Bills at the end of the first quarter.
The 49ers forced a three-and-out on the Bills’ opening drive, then put together a nine-play, 48-yard drive that stalled at the Buffalo 15. Jake Moody knocked through his first field goal attempt of the night to get the first points on the board.
San Francisco leads Buffalo, 3-0, with 7:41 left in the first quarter.
The Bills and 49ers game will wrap up Sundays Week 13 of the 2024 NFL season with “Sunday Night Football” at 8:20 p.m. ET. 
Here’s how the USA TODAY Sports staff feels the Week 13 “SNF” matchup between the Bills and 49ers will shape up: 
According to the Weather Channel, it’s going to be a cold night in Orchard Park with a high of 30 degrees at kickoff and a low of 29 degrees at midnight. The good news, the wind will not be much of a factor with gusts topping out at 10 MPH. There is a slight chance of snow showers with little to no accumulation.
For cord cutters looking for a live stream for the matchup, you can turn to Fubo TV. Fubo TV carries NBC, as well as CBS, FOX, NFL Network and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you can catch NFL action through the remainder of the season. 
Peacock, the proprietary streaming service of NBC, will also carry the game. 
The Bills are favorites to defeat the 49ers, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Not interested in this game? Check out expert picks and best bets for every NFL game this week.   
Mack Hollins is walking in a winter wonderland, barefoot.
The Buffalo Bills receiver seemingly isn’t worried about the cold, especially as over a foot of snow is dumped on the region. Hollins donned some all-white attire ahead of the “Sunday Night Football” game against the 49ers. Without socks or shoes, the receiver walked through the shoveled parking lot, although the pavement was likely freezing. — Nick Brinkerhoff
Mike Tirico will handle play-by-play duties during the game, with Cris Collinsworth providing color commentary and Melissa Stark reporting from the sidelines during 49ers vs. Bills. 
NBC’s weekly “Football Night in America” pregame show begins at 7 p.m. ET and feature insight from a panel of analysts, including Maria Taylor, Jason Garrett, Chris Simms, Mike Florio, Devin McCourty, Tony Dungy, and more. 
These interconference opponents have met 13 times in NFL history. The Bills lead the matchup all-time with a 7-6 record.  
The most recent meeting between these teams was in December 2020 when the Bills won in impressive fashion on the road. Josh Allen threw for 375 yards and tossed four touchdown passes as the Bills stayed in sole possession of first place in the AFC East at the time.
During the 1992 season, the 49ers and Bills had a memorable, high-scoring encounter in which there was more than 1,000 yards of offense and no punts. The Bills won the game, 34-31.
The New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers are tied for the most Super Bowl wins with six. 
Pittsburgh and Dallas have the unique distinction of playing each other more than any other team combination in Super Bowl history with three matchups. 
The 49ers have eight total Super Bowl appearances and five rings to show for it, the most recent coming during the 1994 season in Super Bowl XXIX. The Bills have four Super Bowl appearances, which came in consecutive seasons in 1990-93, but no victories.
NFL franchises with most Super Bowl wins:
➤ Super Bowl winners: All-time scores, results for NFL title game
The NFL’s top 18 players in average annual salary are all quarterbacks, according to OverTheCap.com. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott became the league’s highest-paid player before the 2024 season, agreeing to a four-year, $240 million deal. Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is the first non-quarterback on the highest-paid list after striking a four-year, $140 million contract extension this offseason.  
➤  Complete list of the league’s highest-paid players 
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