The Browns welcome the 49ers to Huntington Bank Field in Week 13 on Nov. 30. QB Shedeur Sanders will make his first regular season home start and lead the Browns against an 8-4 49ers team. The Browns are looking to win their second consecutive game and third home game of the season.
"Good work week, going into this weekend," head coach Kevin Stefanski said. "Like we talked about, there's a huge challenge facing this team and the scheme that they have and the players that they have. So, we have to really be about our business. You have to play your best in a game like this."
As the Browns look to improve their record at home, here are three keys to the game.
Limit negative plays
The 49ers' defense has been without two of their best players in DE Nick Bosa and LB Fred Warner since Week 6, hampering their pass rush. San Francisco is last in the NFL in sacks with 13.
With a rookie quarterback in Sanders, San Francisco could potentially break into the backfield. Sanders was sacked twice for a combined loss of 25 yards in his first NFL regular season game against the Ravens. In Sanders' first regular season start, he improved and avoided moving out of the back of the pocket in Week 12. He was sacked once for a loss of three yards against the Raiders. The Browns need to avoid giving the 49ers negative plays to make full use of their possessions against a San Francisco defense that has had trouble recording sacks.
"The thing (49ers defensive coordinator Robert) Salah does really well is his pressure packages," offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said. "I know the sack numbers aren't maybe what they want, but the pressure on the quarterback, they're able to create that a lot of different ways. So, we'll have our work cut out for us."
Cleveland will also have to start off drives and sets of downs with positive plays to not have to make up ground. 49ers LB Dee Winters and DL Bryce Huff both have six tackles for loss and have shown that they can bring down opponents in the backfield. 49ers DL Clelin Ferrell also has two sacks in three games. If the Browns open drives on the ground, their running backs and offensive line will need to record yards past the line of scrimmage and avoid negative plays.
"You play good defense, you play great players," RB Dylan Sampson said. "The thing that could probably get into it with players like me mentally is I don't get as many of those plays. So, when I do get a negative (play), having to make sure I stay mentally strong, knowing that if I do get another opportunity, all I'm worried about is that next play."
Create opportunities for Quinshon Judkins to be explosive
RB Quinshon Judkins had a strong start to his rookie season, recording four 30-plus runs in his first six games. In the five games since, his longest run was for 16 yards against the Ravens in Week 11.
Part of Judkins' rushing struggles has been opponents loading the box. On 45.22 percent of Judkins' runs, opponents have loaded eight or more players into the box, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Judkins has struggled to break past the second level or return to the line of scrimmage.
The Browns face another stout run defense in Week 13, as San Francisco is tied for 10th in fewest rushing yards allowed per game with 100.9 and allows the 13th fewest yards per carry, averaging 4.1 yards. Sampson has come in for Judkins this season and could help on run plays to help the two rookies both be productive.
Sampson has 89 rushing yards this season and 42 yards in the last two games. If the Browns can help Judkins record explosive runs alongside Sampson's carries, they can break apart San Francisco's run defense.
"Everybody's talked about Q (Quinshon Judkins) all year and rightfully so, he's played really well for us and he's definitely a guy that our offense runs through," Rees said. "You have guys that you try to get involved, our offense really is running through Q. And then (Dylan Sampson) becomes a great complementary piece to that and somebody that can have his role in his own right."
Browse photos of the Cleveland Browns practicing at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus as they prepare for their Week 13 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.
The defensive backs during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 28, 2025.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 28, 2025.
Cornerback Sam Webb (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Pass Game Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach Chad O'Shea during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 28, 2025.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Wide receiver Gage Larvadain (84) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 28, 2025.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Linebacker Carson Schwesinger (49) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Defensive tackle Mason Graham (94) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Wide receiver Kaden Davis (89) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Safety Rayshawn Jenkins (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
The Week 12 Nickelodeon NVP, Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Wide receiver Isaiah Bond (16) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Running back Quinshon Judkins (10) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 28, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Football Operations Assistant Hajriz Aliu and Safety Grant Delpit (9) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Wide receiver Malachi Corley (83) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Wide receiver Malachi Corley (83) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Tight end Blake Whiteheart (86) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Safety Rayshawn Jenkins (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Offensive Coordinator Tommy Rees during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 28, 2025.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 28, 2025.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) and Safety Rayshawn Jenkins (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Wide receiver Luke Floriea (81) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 28, 2025.
Defensive end Ochaun Mathis (97) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Wide receiver Jamari Thrash (80) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Assistant Wide Receivers Coach Stephen Bravo-Brown during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 28, 2025.
Tight end Blake Whiteheart (86) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Cornerback Myles Harden (26) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Defensive end Cameron Thomas (99) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 28, 2025.
Defensive tackle Shelby Harris (93) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 28, 2025.
Wide receiver Isaiah Bond (16) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
The Week 12 Nickelodeon NVP, Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Defensive Line Coach Jacques Cesaire during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Linebacker Eugene Asante (36) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Wide receiver Gage Larvadain (84) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 28, 2025.
Footballs during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 28, 2025.
Wide receiver Luke Floriea (81) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 28, 2025.
Wide receiver Isaiah Bond (16) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 28, 2025.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 28, 2025.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 28, 2025.
Defensive tackle Shelby Harris (93) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 28, 2025.
The team during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Defensive tackle Maliek Collins (96) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 26, 2025.
Defensive end Isaiah McGuire (57) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 28, 2025.
Put pressure on Brock Purdy
49ers QB Brock Purdy suffered a toe injury in Week 1 that forced him to miss Week 2 and 3. He returned in Week 4 but reaggravated the injury and missed six games. He rejoined the active roster in Week 11 and has played the last two games.
Purdy has thrown seven interceptions in the four games that he has played this season. He threw three interceptions despite being hit once in Week 12 against the Panthers. Purdy also has a 3.12-second release time from snap to throw, the third slowest among qualified quarterbacks, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
The Browns pass rush has been successful at finding their way into the backfield, sacking opposing quarterbacks 42 times and pressuring quarterbacks 102 times, according to Pro Football Reference. Combined with Cleveland recording an interception in four of its last five games, the Browns can lead Purdy into another multi-interception game.
"I hope our eyes stay where they're supposed to stay, and we concentrate on doing our job and not trying to replicate what happened in Monday night game or something like that," defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said. "When we execute our scheme, when we play with effort and physicality, plays like that come, and that's where we keep our concentration on."
