Before the game started, I said this would shape up to be a low-scoring, even match-up, unless something unforeseen like more special teams blunders cost the Browns. Sure enough, they reared their ugly head again, with a long punt return setting up San Francisco’s only first half touchdown, and a miscue killing a drive in the second half. Layering on to that, a muffed punt right after that punt the 49ers in scoring range. Despite some drives by Cleveland and an ok effort by Shedeur Sanders, the Browns only came away with one score in a 26-8 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Let’s get to the full game recap.

1st Quarter – Browns vs. 49ers

The 49ers received the opening kickoff and began with a playaction fake that was tossed to FB Kyle Juszczyk for a gain of 23 yards. They tried playaction again on the next two plays, to little success, setting up a 3rd-and-9 from midfield. QB Brock Purdy stayed in the pocket this time, but didn’t find anyone open and had to throw the ball into the dirt, leading to a punt.

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WR Gage Larvadain fair caught the ball at the 13 yard line, where QB Shedeur Sanders came on in front of the home crowd. Sanders started with a 7-yard completion to WR Jerry Jeudy on the sideline. A run by RB Quinshon Judkins moved the chains, and then a few plays later, Cleveland had a 3rd-and-5 situation. Sanders had time, and saw Jeudy breaking out deep, but the throw was a tad overthrown, forcing a punt.

Unfortunately, the Browns’ special teams unit had a breakdown on the punt coverage, as WR Skyy Moore found a lane for 66 yards before being taken down by TE Blake Whiteheart at the 16 yard line. RB Christian McCaffrey tried to throw the ball, but no one was open and he tossed it away. On 3rd-and-8, the Browns left him uncovered, though, as Purdy found McCaffrey wide open for a gain of 12 yards down to the 2 yard line.

Two plays later, the Browns’ defense faced a 3rd-and-goal from the 1 yard line after an incomplete pass and one run for a yard gain. On third down, Purdy handed it off to McCaffrey for the touchdown to give San Francisco a 7-0 lead with 8:12 left in the first quarter.

The Browns began with Judkins, first with 7 yards on the ground and then 13 yards on a screen pass. That was followed by a 10-yard pass to Larvadain into San Francisco territory at their 40 yard line. A few plays later, on 3rd-and-8, RB Jerome Ford came in and caught the screen pass, getting just enough for the first down. After three runs, the Browns faced a 4th-and-1 at the 20 yard line and decided to go for it. They gave it to Judkins again, but multiple defenders shot through on the backside to stuff him for a loss of a yard and a turnover on downs.

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The 49ers went three-and-out after two runs went for only a yard, and then Purdy’s third down sideline pass to WR Kendrick Bourne was just barely ruled out of bounds. After the punt, the Browns took over at their own 39 yard line with 1:28 left in the opening quarter — however, C Ethan Pocic was in the locker room with an injury.

Sanders’ arm got hit on a throw to WR Isaiah Bond, but fortunately for Cleveland, the ball still landed right in Bond’s arms for an 18-yard gain before defenders could get there. The Browns finished the quarter with a strong 9-yard run by RB Dylan Sampson.

2nd Quarter – Browns vs. 49ers

Cleveland faced a 2nd-and-1 at the 49ers 35 yard line to start the second quarter, and then a run by Judkins moved the chains to the 31 yard line. A couple plays later, facing a 3rd-and-10, a quick out to Jeudy picked up some yards, but Cleveland was flagged for an illegal shift. The 49ers accepted the penalty to make it 3rd-and-15 and push them further from field goal range. Sanders was sacked on third down for a loss of 13 yards, setting up P Corey Bojorquez for a punt. Unfortunately, his punt rolled into the end zone for a touchback.

TE George Kittle caught a pass for 14 yards to get close to midfield, and then a run by McCaffrey moved the chains again to midfield. Several plays later, the 49ers faced a 3rd-and-10 at the Browns’ 46 yard line. Purdy checked it down to get half the distance. They sent the punt unit on the field mid-way through the second quarter to try to pin Cleveland back. P Thomas Morstead got it down to the 10 yard line, where Larvadain fair caught it.

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Judkins started the drive with another tough run for 8 yards, and another run moved the chains to give Cleveland some breathing room. A few plays later, a reverse to Bond gained 9 yards out to the 37 yard line. The ground game continued being utilized, as a run by Sampson picked up 7 yards to the Browns’ 44 yard line — although time was also becoming a factor with under four minutes to play in the half. An 8-yard run by Sampson then got past midfield, into 49ers territory. An end around to WR Malachi Corley went for 9 yards leading into the two-minute warning. After a few more runs (nine straight runs), Cleveland tried their first pass from the 34-yard line. Sanders had time for found TE Harold Fannin open up the left sideline for a touchdown!

Cleveland was content to tie it up, but after too many men on the field for San Francisco on the extra point, Cleveland went for two, and Judkins got it from the Wildcat for the 8-7 lead with 0:39 left in the half.

The 49ers tried to throw it twice, and both were incomplete passes. On 3rd-and-10, Purdy had time and found WR Ricky Pearsall on the sideline to move the chains, now with 0:21 left at the 48 yard line. Another first-down throw gained 12 yards, as the 49ers burned their second timeout at the Cleveland 40 yard line. Purdy then got a 33-yard connection to Kittle down to the 4 yard line, as S Ronnie Hickman tried ripping it away after he went to the ground. The officials kept it a catch, but with only four seconds left, the 49ers sent the field goal unit on the field. From 25 yards out, K Matt Gay had it go off the left upright, but it still bounced through to give them a 10-8 lead at the half.

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3rd Quarter – Browns vs. 49ers

RT Jack Conklin was ruled out with a concussion at the start of the half. The Browns utilized the running game again to begin the second half, but it only got them one first down. On 3rd-and-7, Sanders’ crossing route pass to Fannin was short and incomplete, leading to a punt that Moore returned to the 49ers’ 22 yard line.

DE Myles Garrett started forcing pressure on the 49ers’ next drive, helping set up a 3rd-and-6 shy of midfield. Purdy found WR Jauan Jennings on the sideline for 8 yards to get the first down. An ineligible man downfield penalty then made it a 1st-and-15, and after two incomplete passes, it was 3rd-and-15, although DT Maliek Collins was down with an injury and the injury cart came out for him. On third down, Purdy didn’t find anyone and scrambled for a few yards before being tackled and the punt unit came out. Larvadain fair caught the ensuing punt at the 24 yard line.

Sanders started the next drive with an 8-yard pass to Jeudy. The next two runs by Judkins only managed a yard, though, and despite being at their own 32 yard line, Cleveland lined up to go for it. It was a chaotic mess, though, as Fannin was lining up under center at the last second as the playclock was winding down. The snap was muffed, and the 49ers recovered.

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After getting one first down, the 49ers faced 3rd-and-9, but Purdy found Kittle streaking open along the right side for 14 yards to the 4 yard line. After two run plays by McCaffrey, it was 3rd-and-goal at the 2 yard line. Purdy faked the give to McCaffrey, and he kept it, getting into the end zone along the left edge for a touchdown. The extra point by Gay was good down the middle for a two-possession lead at 17-8 with 1:29 to go in the third quarter.

Corley then made a critical error on the kickoff, fielding the ball right on the sideline and then stepping out with his momentum at the 5 yard line. The Browns went three-and-out, with Sanders nearly being hit for a safety on third down. The Browns punted and the 49ers took over at the Cleveland 47 yard line.

4th Quarter – Browns vs. 49ers

The 49ers faced a 2nd-and-7 at the Browns’ 44 yard line to begin the fourth quarter. A few plays later, DE Myles Garrett got to Purdy for his first sack of the game — a loss of 7 yards — to force a punt.

Then, it was Larvadain’s time for a special teams miscue, as the punt hit him in the chest and was muffed, recovered by the 49ers at the 18 yard line.

A few plays later, on 3rd-and-6 at the 14 yard line, Purdy got a screen pass to McCaffrey to set up 1st-and-goal at the 5 yard line. Just like earlier in the game, though, Purdy came through on third down with a touchdown strike to Jennings on 3rd-and-goal from the 7 yard line to make it a 23-8 game. The 49ers went for two, but did not get it.

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Judkins started the Browns’ next drive with runs of 6, 3, and 17 yards, into 49ers territory. The Browns went to throw on the next play, but Sanders had to scramble and slid awkwardly. A holding penalty made it a loss of 10 yards, as Sanders had to leave for one play due to being slow to get up. On 3rd-and-16, the Browns needed a big play with under 8 minutes to go. Sanders gave Bond a shot downfield, but the defender was able to fight through his body for the knockaway. Cleveland went for it on fourth down, and Sanders took too much time and then was leveled for a sack and a turnover on downs.

The 49ers took over back at the Browns’ 42 yard line. They picked up several first downs, draining clock, and looking to add more to the scoreboard. Purdy finally missed on a third down play in the red zone, as San Francisco sent Gay onto the field for a 31-yard field goal. He drilled it to give the 49ers a 26-8 lead with 4:09 to go.

Sanders got a chance to throw the ball in garbage time, coming up with a string of completions to get into San Francisco territory. Before the two-minute warning, though, that internal clock failed him again, as he took an 11-yard sack to make it 3rd-and-21. A false start by Sanders made it 3rd-and-26. The Browns just turned it over on downs from there, as the 49ers ran out the clock from there.

Quick Hitters

• QB Shedeur Sanders: 16-of-25 for 149 yards, 1 TD.

• RB Quinshon Judkins: 23 carries, 91 yards (4.1 YPC).

• DE Myles Garrett: 1 sack

• Another week, and another game in which it’s frustrating because this would have been an entirely different game if it weren’t for the special teams blunders. Low-scoring, tight games can happen and not be a negative for either team, and that’s what this game should have been. When you have all those special teams mistakes, coupled with the one botched fourth down play by the Browns’ offense, you see a victory like the 49ers pulled out today.

• As for Shedeur Sanders, he showed some good elements again, going with the flow of the game. Where he still struggled is just being too slow with things. The 49ers’ pass rush not being the best helped him in some situations, but then in other 3rd-and-longs, he held it too long for a big sack.

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Next up, the Browns stay home to host the Tennessee Titans.