The Buffalo Bills (9-2) roll on in their 2024 regular season journey with a matchup at home against the San Francisco 49ers (5-6) at Highmark Stadium on Sunday night.

All week, topics and storylines have been discussed ahead of the Week 13 matchup.

In the end, regardless of what is said by players, coaches, media outlets, and fans, it always comes down to what unfolds on the field in the NFL.

And once the battle arrives, there will be a few particular things to keep in mind to look out for.

Here are five things to watch for during Sunday’s Bills-Niners matchup:

Can James Cook bounce back?

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Despite rushing for two touchdowns in Week 11’s win over the Chiefs, James Cook had his least productive outing of the season. He ran nine times for a season-low 20 yards at a season-low 2.22 yards per carry.

He has a friendlier matchup this week against a Niners defense which ranks 21st in the NFL in rush DVOA.

Who steps up for Dalton Kincaid?

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Second-year tight end Dalton Kincaid missed Wednesday’s practice with his knee injury that he suffered in Week 10, and it appears like he’ll miss a second straight game for Buffalo. Last week, wide receiver Curtis Samuel and fellow tight end Dawson Knox filled in nicely to make up for Kincaid’s absence. Along with consistent performers Khalil Shakir and Amari Cooper, it will be interesting to see who steps into a larger role this week.

Is Matt Milano returning?

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Will Matt Milano return to action this week? And if so, what will his role look like if he’s out there? Milano has missed a big portion of the last year and a half for the Bills. The team and its fans are elated to see the former All-Pro gearing up to return to action.

The good news for the defense is that Dorian Williams has come along nicely in his absence. If Milano does see the field in Week 13, he could be eased back into the game on a pitch count if necessary.

Will the pass rush build on its momentum?

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The Buffalo Bills pass rush has been inconsistent in 2024, but last week against the defending champion Chiefs they got after the quarterback in a big way. They were constantly pressuring Patrick Mahomes and making him throw off-platform. If they are finally finding their stride down the back stretch of the season, it would bode well for them moving into the postseason. We will see how Greg Rousseau, Von Miller, and company look in Week 13.

Can McDermott stay perfect after a bye?

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Since Sean McDermott took over as head coach of the Bills in 2017, his team is a perfect 7-0 following a bye week. It’s not by luck that you have a perfect record after bye weeks in your coaching career. He has had his team ready to execute coming off their rest weeks.

Last year, they defeated the Chiefs 20-17 coming off their bye in what was one of the more meaningful regular season wins of McDermott’s career. This year, they have another big test as they host the defending NFC Champions on Sunday night. We’ll see if McDermott and company can keep the streak alive.