The San Francisco 49ers defense received the ball to start tonight’s contest. The Flurries came down and seemed to get worse once the Niners got the ball. It didn’t last long as the defense forced a three-pointer early in the game.

The offense tied the score thanks to a 19-yard run by Christian McCaffrey and an 11-yard run by Jordan Mason. But on 3rd-and-7 in the red zone, Brock Purdy and McCaffrey were not on the same page. That incompletion forced a 33-yard field goal by Jake Moody that gave the Niners an early 3-0 lead.

It looked like the defense had forced a three-pointer for the second game in a row, but Charvarius Ward was cited for an illegal handball penalty. At first glance, it looked like rookie Renardo Green could have been penalized.

That penalty got Buffalo’s offense going. Allen connected with a backup tight end for 15 yards and used his legs to gain a first down on third down. Shortly thereafter, Buffalo found itself in the red zone.

The Bills capped a 13-play drive, including 10 running plays, with a five-yard touchdown run by Ray Davis, who had just gained 13 yards on 3rd & 1 on the previous play. Davis’ touchdown made it 7:3 after the first quarter.

McCaffrey caught a swing pass to start the second drive for 12 yards and then followed it up with a rush for a dozen yards. It didn’t take long for the offense to enter Buffalo territory. Unfortunately, that was the last time we saw McCaffrey.

McCaffrey suffered what the 49ers called a knee injury and gave up his final carry. It was a sad scene for a player who worked so hard to come back. After a delay in the game penalty, the offense stalled. Jake Moody didn’t help; His 45-yard field goal attempt went wide left.

On the following play, Ji’Ayir Brown’s tackle attempt was one of the worst you’ll see this season. James Cook ran 65 yards untouched and the Bills took a 14-3 lead.

Jordan Mason gained 28 yards on first down and then another six on 3rd and 4. San Francisco made it into Buffalo territory again, but Purdy was sacked on 3rd and 9.

From an outcome perspective, it wasn’t the worst-case scenario. Pat O’Donnell pinned the Bills with a seemingly perfect punt at the three-yard line. This would be true if Josh Allen didn’t exist. Allen found Dalton Knox wide open for 39 yards. Cook ran for 18 and 11 yards on the next two plays. Within three plays, the Bills were in Niners territory.

Cook added another 13-yard run for good measure, and before you knew it, Buffalo was inside San Francisco’s 10-yard line. Allen threw a perfect pass to Mack Hollins for a touchdown, capping a 97-yard touchdown drive. It was obvious that the Bills were in a different class. This result made it 21:3.

The 49ers got into field goal range after Purdy found Jauan Jennings for a 17-yard gain. But Moody’s 55-yard field goal missed by a few yards, and the Niners had another fruitless drive before halftime.

Deebo Samuel’s kick return was not recalled this week. He had a 60-yarder. Jennings gained 14 yards and Mason picked up nine yards to get the offense into the red zone. The offensive line gave the Bills trouble. It was an impressive performance from the five blockers up front and Mason got what he wanted.

On 1st from the four-yard line, Kyle Juszczyk’s ball was knocked away by Taylor Rapp in a peanut fight. So instead of scoring a touchdown and cutting the lead to 21-10, the offense stalled again, with an unpredictable outcome.

The offense had no problems moving the ball up until this point. They were inside Buffalo’s 40 on each of the five drives. Results are all that matter, and just three points for moving the ball speaks to how inept the Niners have been in opponent territory this season.

The defense forced a three-pointer, but Buffalo followed suit. Safety Jennings dropped a pass on first down, and George Kittle, who had not been targeted until the game’s first play, dropped a screen on third down.

Buffalo had a small field and took full advantage of it. On 4th-and-2, the Niners failed to cover Khalil Shakir. Then on 1st-and-goal, Amari Cooper caught a pass and passed it to Allen. It was an impressive game that has typically seen the 49ers on the right side in past seasons.

Deebo gave the Niners another short field after a 42-yard kick return. It would be the sixth straight trip to the Buffalo area. Would it be different this time? Ricky Pearsall’s first goal was incomplete after he slipped while trying to chase the ball. Jennings gained 26 yards and moved the offense into the red zone. Isaac Guerendo raced around the left side for the 49ers’ first touchdown of the night, making the score 28-10.

Trailing by 18, the 49ers forced another three-pointer, leaving the door wide open for a comeback. But on 3rd and 5, the ball slipped out of Purdy’s hands. This type of turnover cost the Niners a week ago with their backup under center.

Josh Allen ran right past Fred Warner to increase his touchdown tally. Then, on the ensuing kickoff, Samuel fumbled the kickoff return after being the only bright spot all night. That was the third rally of the evening.

Buffalo missed its 49-yard field goal attempt. Despite the 25-point game, Purdy, unlike Allen, stayed in the game. It was the perfect time to bring in Josh Dobbs and prevent your franchise’s potential future from suffering unnecessary losses. That didn’t matter because the offense ended with a three-pointer.

This is a team that was shorthanded tonight. Nick Bosa, Trent Williams and Deommodore Lenoir are three of the best players on the team. Fred Warner looks like a shell of his former self as he battles an ankle injury.

These injuries are not the reason the 49ers are out. Purdy was back tonight but finished the game with 94 yards on 18 attempts. There is still no identity in the red zone, while the Bills averaged over seven yards per game well into garbage time. It was a performance you would expect from a team on the rocks, not one fighting for its life.