While making updates to the team’s injury report, the San Francisco 49ers announced that left tackle Trent Williams will miss the Sunday Night Football game against the Buffalo Bills due to an ankle injury. Meanwhile, San Fran listed starting quarterback Brock Purdy as questionable to play.
Earlier in the week, former Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa was ruled out for the game with an ongoing hip/oblique injury. This marks the second straight game that Bosa has missed due to injury.
The 5-6 Niners will face the Bills in Buffalo at 8:20 p.m. ET tomorrow night on NBC and Peacock as they look to avoid a third straight loss.
49ers Provide Injury Updates On 3 Important Players
How Will Williams’ And Bosa’s Absences Impact The 49ers?
If last week’s game against the Green Bay Packers is any indication, then the Niners will probably fall to the Bills. Even if Brock Purdy is healthy enough to play, any team will struggle when they lose former All-Pros on both sides of the ball. Also, Josh Allen is playing at an MVP level, so there’s a chance that this game could be even uglier than last week’s.
If Purdy can go, then the offense will likely be able to put up more than just ten points. Still, he’ll need to keep pace with a Buffalo team averaging 29.1 points per game while also dealing with a hurt shoulder if he does get the start.
Nick Bosa’s injury shouldn’t be too concerning. After all, this will only be his third missed game since the start of the 2021 season. The Trent Williams injury is more worrisome. Williams hasn’t played a full season since 2013. On top of that, he’s 36 years old. It’s not like he’s going to become less injury-prone as he gets older.
If both Williams and Bosa had been questionable for this game, then it would’ve made more sense to play Bosa and rest Williams. Unfortunately, both guys have already been ruled out, so it’s a moot point.
Should Purdy Be Pushed To Play?
This is a very tricky decision. Normally, a 5-6 team isn’t in a prime position to make the playoffs, but the Niners are just one/two games back from first place in the NFC West. Therefore, they should be trying to win and not just waving the white flag on the season.
Brandon Allen had a pretty decent start to the game against the Packers. However, he finished the day with a lost fumble, a costly interception, and less than 200 passing yards. While he could have success in Kyle Shanahan’s offense, that’ll be not easy in Buffalo, where heavy snow and wind gusts up to 29 miles per hour are expected.
Though Purdy would undoubtedly be more effective in the game, the wild weather conditions will make it tough for any passer to have success. As a result, San Fran should give Purdy one more week of rest to ensure he’s fully healthy and let Brandon Allen start.
Even if they lose, they’re still in a good position to fight for a playoff spot. But if they lose and Brock Purdy’s injury worsens, then that would basically close the book on the Niners’ 2024-25 campaign. If you’re a Niners fan, just expect to lose Sunday and hope Purdy is healthy enough to return on December 8th when San Francisco hosts the Chicago Bears.
Main Image: David Gonzales – USA Today Sports
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