Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Instant takeaways from Browns 19-17 victory over San Francisco 49ers …1. They did it: Ultimately, the Browns’ defense was what we thought it was. And that was good enough, with just a little bit help from the offense and a missed San Francisco field goal, to knock the 49ers off their perch and hand them their first loss of the season. Jim Schwartz prevailed again over Kyle Shanahan as the Browns’ defense stifled NFL passer ratings leader Brock Purdy to 12 of 27 passing for 125 yards. But the Browns had to sweat out a game-winning field goal try of 41 yards by kicker Jake Moody with six seconds left. The rookie from Michigan missed wide right and the Browns won, 19-17. Purdy, missing offensive stars Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel at the end, benefitted from a M.J. Emerson pass interference penalty to keep the final drive alive. But Moody’s miss made a winner of emergency quarterback P.J. Walker, who became the first Browns QB3 to win his first start. Dustin Hopkins had four field goals, including the game-winner from 29 yards with 1:40 left in the fourth quarter. Decided underdogs, the Browns raised their record to 3-2. The 49ers fell to 5-1.2. Down to the wire: Walker’s second interception of the game with 11:04 to play – on a route on which Amari Cooper was knocked off the play and fell to the ground – set up the 49ers’ go-ahead score. Deommodore Lenoir returned the ball 28 yards to the Browns’ 8. On the very next play, Jordan Mason, filling in for injured Christian McCaffery, ran with a quick pitch for the touchdown for a 17-13 49ers’ lead. Walker responded by moving the ball inexorably for 13 plays before Dustin Hopkins hit a field goal from 50 yards to close the lead to 17-16.3. Winds of change: The Browns took their first lead with two field goals in the third quarter as their defense intercepted Brock Purdy and forced a punt on three downs. Hopkins made a 42-yard field goal on the Browns’ first possession of the second half. The scoring drive was set up by an acrobatic catch by Amari Cooper on the right sideline for 27 yards. The second one was set up by a the defense forcing a punt from the 49ers’ 8-yard line. A San Francisco penalty on the punt gave Walker the ball at the 49ers’ 45-yard line. Two screen passes to Kareem Hunt moved them close enough for a Hopkins field goal of 46 yards to give the Browns a 13-10 lead. The 49ers were held deep in their own end for yet another punt to begin the fourth quarter.
4. Missed opportunity: The rarest turnover of the NFL season – an interception of Brock Purdy – was wasted by the Browns. M.J. Emerson intercepted Purdy in the third quarter in the middle of the field and returned it to the 49ers’ 38. It was Purdy’s first interception after 149 pass attempts and also Emerson’s first of his NFL career. Alas, went backwards in three plays and had to punt. Randy Gregory, who joined the 49ers in a trade just this week, was credited with the first sack of Walker.5. Rain helps: Intermittent rain throughout the first half helped the Browns score their lone touchdown and keep the game close. On second down from the Browns’ 17, Walker connected with Amari Cooper after cornerback Deommodore Lenor slipped and fell on Cooper’s first move. Cooper cut inside and was tackled at the 49ers’ 25 after a 58-yard gain. Kareem Hunt, who was the surprise starter ahead of Jerome Ford, gained seven yards on first down. Then on third-and-1 from the 16, tight end Harrison Bryant lined up under center and barely got a pitchback released to Hunt before being tackled. Hunt raced around the left edge for the touchdown. Later, the ball squirted out of Purdy's hands like a bar of soap attempting to pass. It set up a San Francisco punt. After a shaky start, the Browns had to be satisfied with only a 10-7 deficit at halftime.6. Dee-fense: In a battle of the top five defenses, the Browns held the high-scoring 49ers to 10 points and 149 total yards. The Browns, having to play their QB3, had 7 points and 189 total yards.
Fred Warner's interception of P.J. Walker in the first half did not result in any points, as the Browns' defense held them to a field goal try, which was missed. (San Francisco 49ers)
7. One miscue: Walker’s one miscue in the first half was an interception, on which linebacker Fred Warner jumped in front of David Bell and returned it 32 yards to the Browns’ 26. But the defense pushed the 49ers back to the 36 in three plays. Jake Moody’s 54-yard field goal try in the rain was wide left. It was the rookie kicker’s first miss of the year. Moody later made a field goal from 25 yards after the Browns defense held the 49ers out of the end zone after a first down at the 14.
8. Close call: The 49ers got a scare with 3:51 left in the first quarter when Browns tackle Shelby Harris was blocked into Trent Williams and landed on the 49ers’ franchise left tackle’s right ankle. Williams gingerly left the field under his own power, but was able to return in the second quarter. 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel wasn’t as lucky. He left with a shoulder injury.
9. Bad start: The Browns put their defense on the field first after deferring, and, let’s say they were a little too frisky. On a second-down run from 27 yards by McCaffrey, Greg Newsome was called for unnecessary roughness with a shove to the ground while they were both out of bounds. Za’Darius Smith also jumped offsides on the play. Two plays later, Smith was flagged for grabbing the face mask of McCaffrey. Purdy completed the scoring drive with his only pass – a short shovel pass to McCaffrey, who scampered 13 yards to the end zone. After the play, Newsome and Aiyuk jawed at each other, renewing disagreements that sprang up in a pre-game fracas.
10. Mea culpa: On a San Francisco punt, a flag was thrown and it was announced as a face-mask penalty “on the receiving team.” When replays on the giant scoreboard clearly showed the offending player was No. 20 of San Francisco, the fans, Browns’ bench and players on the field protested. After a zebra huddle, referee John Hussey announced, sheepishly, “After discussion on the field, the penalty is on the kicking team. My apologies for the confusion on the field.”11. Put up your dukes: A pre-game brawl erupted between 49ers receivers and Browns defensive backs about 45 minutes before kickoff. It appeared that 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk and Browns safety Juan Thornhill were jawing at each other when 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel came by and shoved Thornhill. Browns receiver Elijah Moore then got involved and was blindsided with a shove by 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams that knocked Moore’s helmet off. As both teams mixed together, Browns cornerbacks Denzel Ward and M.J. Emerson, and linebacker Anthony Walker got heated, and had to be restrained. Aiyuk threw punches at Ward before they were separated. Coaches and team personnel intervened to keep players from earning ejections. As the 49ers left the field following their pre-game warm-ups, Browns linebackers Matthew Adams and Tony Fields, and Thornhill, stared down the instigators.
12. Pre-game notes: No surprises on the Browns’ inactive list. Quarterback Deshaun Watson (shoulder), guard Joel Bitonio (knee) and receiver Cedric Tillman (hip) being the biggest names. Michael Dunn replaced Bitonio. The 49ers had one starter inactive – linebacker Dre Greenlaw (hamstring).
