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.
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.”