What the 49ers Should Takeaway From Colts-Bills Playoff Matchup

Watching the playoffs from home can be a teaching moment for the San Francisco 49ers.

They can use this time to study what makes these playoff teams so successful. One game that can be used as a takeaway is the Colts-Bills matchup.

That game reminded me of the ongoing debate of whether or not the 49ers need an upgrade at quarterback. For the Colts, they resembled the 49ers from 2019. A team that played complimentary football with an elite defense and a clock draining effective offense. The Colts are an example for keeping Jimmy Garoppolo.

For the Bills, they resembled why the 49ers need an upgrade. The defense of the Colts is so stout, yet they still could not shutdown or slow down Josh Allen for much of the game. Buffalo ended up victorious because they had the better quarterback. The Colts did all they could against them. They held time of possession staunchly, ran the ball well, and had their quarterback make a handful of throws when needed. 

They did all of that soundly, yet still fell to excellent quarterback play.

If Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch were watching this game, how can they not think to explore all avenues of upgrading the quarterback position?

Doing what the Colts did against the Bills (and what the 49ers did in 2019) is not sustainable for long-term success. Even Shanahan himself admitted that “having the right quarterback” is the key for it. The 49ers cannot have a frightened mentality of looking elsewhere at quarterback just because they have a decent quarterback already. 

Garoppolo is limited and cannot uplift the 49ers when needed. Otherwise, they would have won the Super Bowl. An upgrade at quarterback is needed and you can be assured that the 49ers are considering their options as the offseason progresses. It is the only way for them to keep making the playoffs year in and year out.