The Browns return to Huntington Bank Field for the first of two consecutive home games as they host the 49ers in Week 13. San Francisco is 8-4 on the season while Cleveland is 3-8.
"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 got to really be about our business. You got to play your best in a game like this."
Here are three burning questions for Week 13.
How will the Browns contain RB Christian McCaffrey?
The Browns' defense not only will have account for RB Christian McCaffrey in the run game, but also in the pass game. He leads the 49ers in both rushing and receiving yards this season, with 796 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 217 carries, and 785 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 81 receptions. His versatility allows San Francisco to line up McCaffrey in the backfield or the slot to use him as a receiver.
"He's a unique player in this game," Stefanski said. "Just the way he impacts the game in both the run and the pass. When he's running routes, he's a wide receiver. I mean, I really don't think there's any route he can't run. They could line him up anywhere, he could run any route. There's no run scheme that he can't run. So, he's a huge challenge. Having gone against him over the years, you try to limit him, you try to slow him down, but you also have to recognize this is a great player. "
The Browns will need all three levels of the defense to contain McCaffrey and adjust to the different ways offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak and head coach Kyle Shanahan utilize McCaffrey in the offense.
"He's one of the best with the ball in his hands, just in general, whether it's receiving or rushing," DE Myles Garrett said. "So, he's a dual threat when it comes to that. And they give it to him as much as possible so he can line up out wide, so he can screen, he can get a toss, hand it off to him. Like, however they can get the ball to him, they will. So, he can hurt you in a variety of ways."
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.
How will the Browns utilize the pass game?
In QB Shedeur Sanders' first start against the Raiders, he displayed his ability to throw a deep ball and connect with his receivers for large gains. In his second consecutive start, Sanders could have another opportunity to move the ball downfield through the air against the 49ers to help open up opportunities in the run game.
San Francisco gives up an average of 241.8 passing yards per game, the seventh-most in the league, and 6.6 net yards per pass attempt. The 49ers have also allowed 22 passing touchdowns this season.
While the 49ers have just 13 sacks this season, they are still applying pressure on opposing quarterbacks with 39 quarterback hits, which can force quarterbacks into tough decisions or errors. As Sanders works through his progressions in the pocket, he will have to be aware of their defense and any oncoming pressure.
"They play a lot like our defense schematically, which is something we're accustomed to seeing," offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said. "They play hard, they play fast, they rally to the football, they attack you defensively. The thing (defensive coordinator Robert) Salah does really well is his pressure packages. 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."
How will the Browns limit TE George Kittle?
For defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, the word toughness comes to mind to describe TE George Kittle's ability to play at a high level in his ninth NFL season.
"We talk about the respect that players have for each other, coaches can have respect for players. I love the way that guy plays, plays with great effort in the run game as well as the passing game," Schwartz said. "There's a lot of tight ends that, maybe, they do one or the other. He's unselfish, he'll stay in the protection. A lot of those guys want to get out in the route, want to get their ball. He's very unselfish when it comes to that. He's really strong running after the catch, he's hard to bring down, he's got great hands. Just a great player, and a great challenge for us. But a lot of respect for that guy because of his unselfishness and his toughness that he shows on the field."
This season, Kittle is third among the 49ers' pass catchers with 33 receptions, totaling 329 receiving yards and five touchdowns through seven games played. He is averaging 47 yards per game this season and has recorded 127 yards after the catch. He provides another threat in the pass game for QB Brock Purdy, and an offense that ranks third in the league with 249. 4 passing yards per game.
This season, the Browns rank second in the league with an average of 180.7 passing yards allowed per game, limiting the success of opposing offenses to move the ball through the air. With multiple pass catchers available in the 49ers 'offense, the Browns can look to limit Kittle to take away one of those options and curb the success of San Francisco.
