FIRST QUARTER
Slow start
The Bills are slow starters. Through 11 games, the first quarter was the lowest-scoring period for the Bills, and Sunday was no different.
The Bills’ defense gave up a 14-play, 72-yard drive to the Niners to open the game, and it took up 8:09 on the clock. The Bills’ offense then failed to score on its first drive.
So the quarter ended with the Niners ahead, 7-0.
The Bills now have been outscored in the first 15 minutes, 74-40.
Key plays: The Bills caught the Niners in a blitz with a perfect call –an inside handoff around end to Fred Jackson. But a holding call on James Hardy wiped out the 27-yard gain.
Gore, Gore, Gore: Niners running back Frank Gore touched the ball on 12 of 19 first-quarter plays.
Evans watch: The Bills’ top target caught one pass in the quarter. The Bills tried to go to him deep on their first drive, but cornerback Walt Harris didn’t bite on a double move and Trent Edwards threw the ball away.
