3 bold predictions for Bills vs. 49ers: Buffalo wraps up AFC East with a big win

With the Miami Dolphins taking a 30-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night, the Buffalo Bills can wrap up the AFC East for a fifth straight season on what's expected to be a snowy Sunday night with a win over the San Francisco 49ers.

The Bills will bring a six-game winning streak into this matchup and should be well-rested coming out of their much-needed bye week. They'll still be without the services of tight end Dalton Kincaid, who's set to miss his second straight game with a knee injury.

But Buffalo will have right tackle Spencer Brown back in the mix, as he's been cleared to return after missing the team's Week 11 win over the Kansas City Chiefs with an ankle injury, and could also welcome back Keon Coleman, who's missed the last month with a wrist injury.

This game could also feature the returns of defensive tackle DeWayne Carter, who's been on injured reserve since undergoing wrist surgery last month, and linebacker Matt Milano, who's been out of action the entire year after suffering a torn biceps during training camp. So, things are trending in the right direction for Sean McDermott's squad on the injury front.

The Niners, of course, have dealt with plenty of injuries of their own throughout this season and were without Brock Purdy, Trent Williams, and Nick Bosa in an embarrassing 38-10 loss to the Packers this past Sunday. And there's a strong chance that all three could sit against Buffalo as well.

But even if all three play, they won't be anywhere near 100 percent, which obviously bodes well for the Bills, who would be favored anyway, even if the Niners were at full strength.

With all that said, let's make a few predictions for the Bills as they look to wrap up the division.

James Cook will have his second 100-yard rushing game of the season

The San Francisco defense has been vulnerable against the run at times this season, one of those instances being last Sunday's loss to Green Bay, as the Packers racked up 169 yards on the ground, 106 of which came from Josh Jacobs.

We're expecting similar things this Sunday from James Cook, who we're calling to get just his second 100-yard rushing game of the season.

One reason for this prediction, of course, is that both teams may run the ball more often than usual if the weather report rings true. But beyond that, we just think Cook, who ran for two touchdowns against the Chiefs but only racked up 20 yards on the ground, is due for a big game.

The Niners have allowed 124.3 rushing yards per game over their last three contests, and as they're far better against the pass as it is, expect Cook to shine on Sunday night.

Amari Cooper will have his biggest game yet in a Bills uniform

lt's not as if Josh Allen won't be throwing the football at all in this game.

But as mentioned, the 49ers are far better against the pass than the run and have allowed only 193.5 yards per game through the air, the sixth-fewest in the NFL.

Even in the snowy conditions, we do see Allen surpassing that number, even if it's not by much, and we're also calling for Amari Cooper to be his primary target.

After missing a pair of games with a wrist injury, Cooper returned against Kansas City and made two catches for 55 yards, one reception going for 30 yards and the other for 25.

With two weeks in between games, his wrist should be close to being fully healed, and we're calling for him to have his biggest day yet in a Bills uniform. We'll even take it a step further to predict his first 100-yard game since coming to Buffalo, especially if Coleman suits up, as the 49ers will have to shift some attention his way.

The Bills will win the AFC East with a double-digit victory over the 49ers

While snowy conditions can often give an underdog a much better chance to win than they might typically have, I don't see that being the case on Sunday night.

If Purdy plays, of course, San Francisco has a far better shot to steal a victory. But it's not as if the Niners have been an elite team, even with him in the lineup. Besides, the Buffalo defense has been much improved against the pass in recent weeks, allowing just 209.2 passing yards per game over their last five outings.

Christian McCaffrey could be in for a big day, as the Bills have struggled against the run at times this season and have allowed an average of 116.0 rushing yards over the last three games.

Nevertheless, the Bills will simply be too much for the Niners to handle from an overall standpoint. The Buffalo offense has put up 30 or more points in five straight games, and the defense as a whole is playing as well as it has all year.

While some are thinking this game will be close, we're calling for a dominant double-digit victory for the Bills here. They may not get to 30, but they'll get close in a 27-13 win.