The Browns made costly special teams mistakes and failed to convert on crucial fourth downs, giving the 49ers field position that allowed them to build on their lead throughout the game.
Cleveland lost to San Francisco, 26-8, on Sunday at Huntington Bank Field, falling to 3-9 on the year.
QB Shedeur Sanders passed for 149 yards and threw his second career touchdown in his first home regular season start. RB Quinshon Judkins ran for 91 yards on 23 carries and Dylan Sampson added 23 yards on the ground on four carries. TE Harold Fannin Jr. led the Browns with 38 receiving yards on two catches, including a 34-yard touchdown catch.
DE Myles Garrett recorded a sack in the game, his 19th of the season. LB Carson Schwesinger led the Browns with 10 tackles as Cleveland limited the 49ers to 241 total yards. The Browns held QB Brock Purdy to 168 passing yards and RB Christian McCaffrey to 74 all-purpose yards and one touchdown.
Key Moments
Special teams blunder allows 49ers to extend lead in fourth quarter
Garrett picked up his first sack of the game to force the 49ers to punt the ball, but he'd be on the field again two plays later. WR Gage Larvadain watched the punt fall down and trickle off his hands before 49ers CB Darrell Luter Jr. recovered the fumble at the Cleveland 18-yard line. McCaffrey gained 13 yards on second and third down to put the 49ers inside the 5-yard line. Garrett pushed San Francisco back two yards on first down but Purdy and WR Jauan Jennings connected on third-and-7 to make the score 23-8 with 11:05 left in the game.
Cleveland fails to convert on fourth down and concedes a San Francisco touchdown
The Browns began their second possession of the second half at their own 24-yard line with a chance to regain the lead. After an 8-yard pass to WR Jerry Jeudy set up second-and-2, the Browns were stuffed. Judkins was held up on two consecutive runs and only gained a yard, setting up a Browns fourth-and-1. The Browns opted to go for the first down, but Fannin fumbled the direct snap and the conversion failed, giving the ball to the 49ers at Cleveland's 32-yard line.
McCaffrey was handed the ball four consecutive plays and gained 14 yards combined on the runs. Purdy and TE George Kittle connected for 14 yards on third-and-8 to get to the 2-yard line with four downs to score. The Browns held San Francisco out of the end zone for two plays before Purdy ran 2 yards for the touchdown, giving the 49ers a 17-8 lead with 1:29 left in the third quarter.
The Browns drive 90 yards to take the lead before halftime
The Browns used eight consecutive running plays to both chew the clock and move down the field on a 90-yard drive in the second quarter. The Browns gained 56 yards using four different rushers – Judkins, Sampson, WR Isaiah Bond and WR Malachi Corley. Judkins gained 23 yards on five carries while Sampson used two carries to gain 15 yards. Bond and Corley both gained 9 yards on their runs.
The Browns switched to the pass with 46 seconds on the clock, but it'd take just one play through the air to reach the end zone. Sanders dropped back and found a wide-open Fannin at the 10-yard line, who ran and powered through two 49ers defenders at the goal line to score. The Browns made the PAT but San Francisco had 12 men on the field. The penalty allowed Cleveland to go for two points from the 1-yard line. The Browns went with what has worked for them this season on the goal line – the wildcat. Judkins took the snap and used his blocks to push his way over and score the conversion.
San Francisco quickly responded and gained 58 yards on six plays. 49ers K Matt Gay kicked a 25-yard field goal to take a 10-8 lead into the locker room.
49ers score early and stop the Browns from responding
A big return set up San Francisco for its first score. As soon as Skyy Moore caught the ball, he had to shake off two Browns defenders before he had only P Corey Bojorquez in front of him. Bojorquez tried to bring him down but was pushed away. TE Blake Whiteheart was initially shaken off but was the one to tackle him at the Browns' 16-yard line.
The Browns nearly turned the red zone start for the 49ers into a field goal, but a 12-yard gain from McCaffrey on third-and-8 set San Francisco up at the 2-yard line. Cleveland stuffed the 49ers on first and second down, but McCaffrey pushed through the Browns' defense on third down to score and gave San Francisco a 7-0 lead with 8:12 left in the first quarter.
Cleveland used Judkins to gain 20 yards on the first two plays from scrimmage to reach midfield. Sanders and Larvadain connected for 10 yards on first down to keep the chains moving. The 49ers' defense stood their ground thereafter, making the Browns earn yards and forcing a third-and-8. RB Jerome Ford bodied his way into a 9-yard catch and a first down. Judkins ran the next three plays for 9 yards, setting up a fourth-and-1 at the 49ers' 20-yard line. San Francisco pushed through the Browns' offensive line and stopped Judkins in the backfield, forcing a turnover on downs.
Game Highlights
Shedeur Sanders throws a screen to Quinshon Judkins for a 13-yard gain.
Shedeur Sanders finds Gage Larvadain for a 10-yard gain and the first down.
Shedeur Sanders lofts a pass to Harold Fannin Jr., who powers his way into the end zone for a 34-yard touchdown.
Quinshon Judkins runs into the end zone on the two-point conversion to give the Browns an 8-7 lead.
Myles Garrett records his 19th sack of the season to force fourth down.
Scoring Plays
SF 7, CLE 0 | Christian McCaffrey 1-yard run | 8:12 1Q
SF 7, CLE 8 | Harold Fannin Jr. 34-yard pass from Shedeur Sanders (Quinshon Judkins runs for one yard) | 0:39 2Q
SF 10, CLE 8 | Matt Gay 25-yard field goal | 0:00 2Q
SF 17, CLE 8 | Brock Purdy 2-yard run | 1:29 3Q
SF 23, CLE 8 | Jauan Jennings 7-yard pass from Brock Purdy (two-point conversion fails) | 11:05 4Q
SF 26, CLE 8 | Matt Gay 31-yard field goal | 4:09 4Q
What's Next
The Browns remain at home in Week 14, taking on the Titans on Dec. 7 at Huntington Bank Field.
