Browns vs. 49ers Postgame Report: How the Browns Got the Victory
The Cleveland Browns limped into the week six matchup with the 49ers bruised and battered. With the way that San Francisco has been playing lately, teams at full strength are underdogs against them, let alone a team like Cleveland who has a patchwork offense.
Before Sunday's kickoff, we broke down what the top three keys to victory were for the Browns. Let's take a look at how the Browns accomplished each task and what it meant during the contest.
Oct 15, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (6) and cornerback Denzel Ward (21) and wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) celebrate after San Francisco 49ers place kicker Jake Moody (not pictured) missed a field goal during the final seconds of the game at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
© Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Win the Turnover Battle
For the fifth straight game, the Browns have lost the turnover battle. Thankfully it did not cost them on Sunday.
Quarterback PJ Walker threw two interceptions, and frankly, both were pretty bad. The first came on the first drive of the game where he hit Fred Warner between the "5" and "4" after a promising start to the drive.
His second came on a 50/50 ball aimed at Amari Cooper. The pass was woefully underthrown and Deommodore Lenoir picked it off and returned it to the eight-yardline.
The Browns’ defense came up with a turnover on MJ Emerson's first career interception. This didn't lead to points, but it allowed the Browns to continue controlling the field position battle.
The Browns escape after losing the turnover battle.
Keep PJ Walker Upright
The Browns offense gets an "A" for keeping Walker standing in the pocket. This daunting 49ers defensive line only got to him twice during this game.
Everyone gets credit for this but we need to acknowledge Dawand Jones and Jedrick Wills. These two receive a ton of criticism day in and out, but they showed up Sunday and did their part to keep Nick Bosa under wraps.
Oct 15, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback PJ Walker (10) throws the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during the second quarter at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
I thought Kevin Stefanski called one of his better games. He used his playcalling to neutralize the defensive line and make sure they were not a factor.
Keeping the quarterback's jersey clean is a direct correlation to the outcome of Sunday's game.
Limit the Big Play
There is so much to say about the Browns’ defense and we will try and say it all. For this story, they totally limited the big play and made Brock Purdy have to continue making high-pressure throws.
On the ground, the Browns had Christian McCaffery bottled up all day and he was only able to get free for one 27-yard scamper.
Through the air, they limited Brandon Aiyuk to a 33-yard catch and run, Jauan Jennings to a 15-yard catch and McCaffery to a 13-yard catch.
Not letting their big plays end in the endzone played a huge role in stopping the NFL's toughest offense.
The Browns accomplished two out of the three keys to the game and it led to a narrow win. If they clean up the turnovers (which they need to, badly), this team will be very tough to beat.
