The Sports XChange

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – When assistant head coach Rob Ryan addressed the Buffalo Bills on Saturday night, he asked, What did we have to give up for LeSean McCoy, three first-round picks?

The Bills acquired McCoy prior to last season in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, giving up linebacker Kiko Alonso, a former second-round pick.

The transaction continued to pay dividends Sunday when McCoy rushed for 140 yards and three touchdowns in the Bills' 45-16 victory over the San Francisco 49ers, the fourth win in a row for Buffalo.

McCoy has rushed for 290 yards over the past two weeks and 470 in four games since running backs coach Anthony Lynn was promoted to replace fired offensive coordinator Greg Roman following an 0-2 start. The revival of a rushing attack that led the NFL last season has coincided with Buffalo's first four-game winning streak since the start of the 2008 season.

Quarterback Tyrod Taylor also ran for 68 yards (to go along with 179 yards and two touchdowns passing) and backup Mike Gillislee had 60 yards and a touchdown. The Bills' 312 rushing yards were the most by any NFL team since the 49ers had 350 in a Dec. 12, 2014 loss to the San Diego Chargers. It's the most the Bills have gained since they had 315 in a Nov. 11, 1992 win over the New Orleans Saints.

"I'm trying to be like those Bills in the 90s man," McCoy said before adding, "if you want to give any game balls out today, give it to the offensive line. They whupped them up and down the field.

For the 49ers, who entered the game ranked 31st in run defense, it was the most rushing yards allowed since the Los Angeles Rams had 324 yards on Nov. 9, 1958.

"As a man, that is embarrassing," 49ers linebacker Michael Wilhoite said. "I think everybody in here would feel that way and I think everybody in here does feel that way."

New starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick couldn't spark the San Francisco offense. Kaepernick completed 13 of 29 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown in his first start since Nov. 1. He also rushed for 66 yards.

Kaepernick continued his national anthem demonstration, kneeling during the performance in protest of racial oppression and police brutality. The fans in Buffalo booed Kaepernick as he took the field, and briefly chanted "U.S.A." prior to the anthem.

Carlos Hyde rushed for 52 yards. He left the game briefly in the third quarter due to a shoulder injury. The 49ers (1-5) have lost five straight for the first time since 2010.

McCoy's big day came against the coach who traded him away from the Eagles, Chip Kelly.

"I'm past that," McCoy said. "To sit here and tell you that it didn't affect me last year, I would be lying. It did. It was tough … But it's a whole year later. I'm here on this Buffalo team, and everything is Buffalo. Sure, there were questions, people texting me about Chip, this and that, but I didn't care nothing about that. I care about winning games for Buffalo."

McCoy rushed for 895 yards in 12 games with the Bills last season, but said he was never 100 percent healthy after straining his hamstring in the preseason.

"We would have been happy with how he played last year," Bills coach Rex Ryan said. "But he's driven, he wants to win, he wants to be the best player he can be, and man he is in great shape."

McCoy had only 78 yards when he played Kelly's Eagles last season, but his former coach knew he was capable of more.

"LeSean's a real talented player and we knew coming in we had to gang tackle him, but we just didn't do a good enough job of getting him down."

McCoy surpassed 100 yards in the first half for the second straight week and scored twice to give the Bills a 17-13 halftime lead. He gave the Bills a scare when he laid on the turf for several minutes after banging knees with 49ers linebacker Gerald Hodges on a short reception with 31 seconds left in the half, but was able to return for the start of the third quarter.

The Bills scored two touchdowns in 31 seconds to put the game away early in the fourth quarter after Phil Dawson kicked a 47-yard field goal to bring the 49ers within 24-16.

McCoy's 18-yard touchdown run put Buffalo ahead 31-16, and on the ensuing kickoff, Nickell Robey-Coleman forced a Keshawn Martin fumble that was recovered by Jonathan Meeks at the 27. After McCoy drew a pass interference penalty, Taylor threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Robert Woods with 10:32 left in the game.

Gillislee scored on a 44-yard run in the fourth quarter. Taylor's 30-yard touchdown pass to Justin Hunter gave the Bills a 24-13 lead late in the third quarter.

McCoy scored on a direct snap from 12 yards out to put the Bills back in front after a Kaepernick bomb to Torrey Smith had put the Niners ahead.

Dawson kicked a 48-yard field goal to cut the lead to 14-13 and Dan Carpenter's 40-yard field goal made it 17-13 with 21 seconds remaining in the half.

NOTES: Rookie DT DeForest Buckner (foot) returned for the 49ers after missing last week's loss to the Cardinals and recorded two sacks and a forced fumble. LB Ahmad Brooks (groin) also played after being listed as questionable, while CB Jimmie Ward (thigh) and S Jaquiski Tartt (thigh) sat out. ... Bills DT Marcell Dareus (hamstring) missed his sixth straight game. He was suspended for the first four for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. ... Dawson passed Roger Craig to move into 10th place on the 49ers' all-time scoring list with his first field goal. ... McCoy is the first Bills player to rush for three touchdowns since Willis McGahee had four on Nov. 28, 2004.