Tag: highmark stadium

Causes for concern as the Bills face the 49ers in Week 13

Causes for concern as the Bills face the 49ers in Week 13

The Buffalo Bills will host the San Francisco 49ers at Highmark Stadium on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 13.

The Bills (9-2) and 49ers (5-6) clash while trending in different directions as of late. The Bills are riding a six-game win streak while the Niners have lost their last two.

Even though Buffalo is favored to win the game, there are always a few things that make winning difficult each week. The Bills will need to be wary of them.

Here are three causes for concern for the Bills in Week 13:

Bills’ weapons are still banged up

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Despite having a bye week to rest in Week 12, the Bills still have a couple of question marks regarding their pass catchers. Rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman was limited in Wednesday’s practice with his wrist injury and tight end Dalton Kincaid didn’t practice due to his knee injury.

Kincaid missed the last outing while Coleman has missed the last two.

The Bills did OK in last week’s win over the Chiefs without them, but it will make things more difficult going forward if they can’t go. Guys like receiver Curtis Samuel and tight end Dawson Knox stepped up last week, but those two haven’t been weapons that the team has been able to rely on much this year.

Niners’ playmakers on offense

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Despite being below .500, the Niners’ offense still has a handful of guys that can break off explosive plays at any time. Whether quarterback Brock Purdy is healthy enough to play on Sunday or not, the team will have plenty of options for whoever is at QB.

Running back Christian McCaffrey and receiver Deebo Samuel are guys that can hurt you in a plethora of ways. Tight end George Kittle is perhaps the best overall tight end in the NFL. And, WR Jawuan Jennings has come along in the absence of Brandon Aiyuk. He has four games this year with over 85 receiving yards.

The Niners produce the fourth-most points per game in the NFL. The Bills’ defense will have their hands full at every level.

Niners need a win in the worst way

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Sitting at 5-6 and coming off of two straight losses, the Niners are creeping into desperation mode as we enter Week 13. They currently stand in last place in the NFC West and they have made things difficult for themselves in terms of tiebreakers because they are 1-3 in divisional games.

The Bills usually face the best version of their opponents because they have been one of the league’s better teams for a handful of years now, but they should expect the very best version of a team that went to the Super Bowl last year. The Bills are undefeated coming out of a bye under head coach Sean McDermott (7-0), but this will be a big test against a team that needs a win in the worst way.

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3 keys to a Bills victory vs. the 49ers in Week 13

3 keys to a Bills victory vs. the 49ers in Week 13

The Buffalo Bills will play the San Francisco 49ers at home at Highmark Stadium on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 13.

The Bills (9-2) are looking to build on a six-game win streak, while the 49ers (5-6) have lost their last two.

Buffalo is favored to win by seven points on Sunday night. The two teams haven’t met since 2020, when the Bills won on the road, 34-24.

Even though the Bills are favored and the Niners have struggled lately, they were still the NFC champions last year for a reason and they are a well-rounded team even though the wins haven’t shown up consistently.

The Bills will need to execute their game plan to pick up their tenth win of the year.

With that, here are three keys to a Bills win in Week 13:

Run the rock

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The 49ers have very few holes on their team, but if there is one area they need to improve upon it is their run defense. They rank 21st in the NFL in defense rushing DVOA.

The Bills are at their best when they have a balanced attack on offense, and I’d expect James Cook and company to get plenty of work. Last week, the Bills dominated the Chiefs in time of possession with quick passes and third-down conversions. This week, they should aim to do the same, but with more of a “pound the rock” approach.

Limit explosive runs

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While San Francisco ranks just 13th in the league in points per game (23.6), they rank an impressive fourth in the league in yards per game (384.5). A big reason why they rack up so many offensive yards is their ability to perform explosive plays in the run game.

The Niners’ offense ranks third in the NFL in 10+ yard runs, while the Bills’ defense allows the second-most 10+ yard runs. This will be a test for the Bills. If they can have sound tackling and limit big running lanes, it will help their chances immensely on Sunday night.

Move the chains on third down

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Last week, the Bills were 9-of-15 (60%) on third downs in the win over Kansas City. Their ability to extend drives is what led them to a win. On paper, they’ll have an opportunity to do the same this week.

Although the Niners rank in the top ten in both rushing and passing defense, they have been leaky on third downs. Their 43.7% third-down rate ranks 26th in the NFL. Josh Allen and the Bills offense, albeit with some injuries to pass catchers, should be able to move the sticks when necessary.

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3 keys to a Bills victory vs. the Dolphins in Week 9

3 keys to a Bills victory vs. the Dolphins in Week 9

The Buffalo Bills will play the Miami Dolphins at home at Highmark Stadium in Week 9.

The Bills (6-2) are looking to build on a dominant stretch of football. They’ve blown out both the Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks in the past two weeks. The Dolphins (2-5) are looking to turn their season around after losing five of their last six.

Buffalo is favored by six points in this one. Miami will be looking to avenge their Week 2 loss to the Bills, so Buffalo will need to execute their game plan to pick up their seventh win of the year.

With that, here are three keys to a Bills win in Week 9:

Keep spreading it around on offense

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One thing that has worked in the Bills’ favor in 2024 is that defenses don’t necessarily know what to expect from them. It used to be a lot of receiver Stefon Diggs through the air and quarterback Josh Allen’s legs on the ground. Now, anyone on the offense can heat up at any moment. They have leaned into the “everybody eats” concept, and it has worked wonders for the most part.

In Week 2 against the Dolphins, the Bills had five different ball carriers and they targeted nine different players in the passing game. Given that it was early in the year, the Dolphins weren’t sure what to expect. Now, with the addition of wide receiver Amari Cooper, Buffalo added another layer of unpredictability. Not only is it good for team morale if they lean into using everybody on offense, but it will keep the Miami defense guessing.

Limit chunk plays

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Although the Dolphins’ offense has struggled mightily in recent weeks, with QB Tua Tagovailoa under center, Miami can put a ton of stress on the defense. They still possess an absurd amount of speed at the skill positions. They have a handful of running backs and pass catchers that can take one touch to the house at any moment.

Linebackers and cornerbacks especially will have to stay disciplined and not fall for some of the eye candy that the Dolphins offense has shown in the past. Also, although it is hard to get hands on some of these guys, tackling needs to be consistent. Having sound tackling from the defense, much like last week against Seattle, will limit big gains from their speedsters.

Throw off Tagovailoa’s timing

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Tagovailoa is a pure rhythmic and anticipatory thrower of the football. He likes to get the ball out quickly and throw it into passing windows. They are at their best when he has a clean pocket and can just take a quick drop back and get rid of it. What can throw off the timing of that offense is giving some unusual looks that make him pat the ball for an extra half-second.

The Bills don’t blitz much as a team, and they probably won’t completely change their identity based on just one opponent. But, a few more blitzes and some creativity in the front seven would go a long way. Linemen dropping into coverage, stunts, and blitzing/bluffing from linebackers could cause problems for the timing of the Dolphins’ offense. Getting hands up on the defensive line will also make it harder for Tagovailoa to navigate some of the passing lanes.

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WATCH: Bills’ new Highmark Stadium under the lights

WATCH: Bills’ new Highmark Stadium under the lights

The Official Buffalo Bills social media accounts posted new content about the ongoing construction of the new Highmark Stadium. This time, the drone footage gives fans a nighttime viewing of the progress.

Take a look as the drone guides you in, above, and around the new stadium which is on track to open for the 2026 NFL season:

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Updated drone view of Bills’ new Highmark Stadium construction

Updated drone view of Bills’ new Highmark Stadium construction

Construction rolls on at the site of the Buffalo Bills’ new Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park.

The building, set to open in 2026, already had steel beams placed. Now we have a lot more of them going up.

This time, our update comes via drone.

Check out the images of the update below:

Updated look at Bills’ new Highmark Stadium from the inside

Updated look at #Bills’ new Highmark Stadium from the inside:

A new, latest look at the construction in Orchard Park at the new Highmark Stadium has been posted to social media.

The building, set to open in 2026, has long had steel beams placed. Now we have a lot more of them going up.

But this time, our progress report comes via the Buffalo News from the inside of the new building.

Check out the latest looks of the construction site posted to social media below:

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Bills hit record attendance for ‘Blue and Red’ training camp practice

#Bills hit record attendance for ‘Blue and Red’ training camp practice:

The Buffalo Bills brought back their annual “Return of Blue and Red” training camp practice on Friday. Expect the team to continue that tradition.

If the Bills keep trekking up to St. John Fisher University for camp practice in Rochester in the future, one should expect to see at least one workout back at Highmark Stadium. A record will do that.

According to Bills COO Pete Guelli, the team welcomed a record number of fans into the stadium for the practice. In total, 36,136 people were in attendance.

Despite all the offseason roster changes for the Bills, Buffalo is clearly ready watch their team again in 2024.

A look around the stadium can be found in the Batavia Daily clip below:

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Keon Coleman enters Highmark Stadium in Bills uniform for the first time (video)

Keon in his #Bills uniform:

The moment everyone in western New York has waited for since the end of April has arrived.

Well, everyone is waiting for incredle touchdowns off of passes from quarterback Josh Allen a lot more… but we’ve got to wait until September for that.

For now, Buffalo will have to settle with seeing Coleman in a Bills uniform in the tunnel at Highmark Stadium for the first time. That happened during the team’s annual “Return of Blue and Red” practice on Friday in Orchard Park.

The top rookie draft pick dawned the Bills’ classic white on white combo with the rest of the offense, giving fans a glimpse into an optimistic future.

Check out Coleman in the WKBW-TV clip below:

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You can see the Buffalo skyline from the top of the new Highmark Stadium

Nice day:

The sightlines inside the new Highmark Stadium being constructed in Orchard Park are promising.

One on the outside of it is, too.

Pete Guelli, Chief Operating Officer of the Buffalo Bills, shared a nice look of the Buffalo skyline while at the construction site of the new venue. On a clear day, fans in certain seats will get to take in that view one day.

Check it out below:

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Report: Equipment at new Bills stadium construction site damaged by storm

Equipment at new #Bills stadium construction site damaged by storm:

The construction of the new Highmark Stadium might have taken a slight blow during a recent storm that crossed western New York.

According to the Buffalo News, one of the cranes being used to build the new home of the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park was hit by lightning which damaged it:

Per the report, there were no injuries sustained and the equipment is said to only be “temporarily knocked out.” The construction projection which is scheduled to be completed in 2026 has not been interrupted.

The same storm that hit  Orchard Park ended up creating multiple confirmed tornadoes in western New york, according to the National Weather Service.

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