49ers pull away in second half to beat Browns, 26-8

Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns and NFL analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.

Instant takeaways from Browns’ 26-8 loss to San Francisco 49ers …

1. Not this time: Shedeur Sanders did not become the first Browns quarterback to win his first two NFL starts. But it wasn’t entirely his fault. Sanders fell victim to what’s tormented other Browns quarterbacks for two seasons – special teams negative plays. The 49ers took advantage and won going away, 26-8. On a windy day, both coaches called conservative games and turnovers played a big role. The Browns committed two and gave up a long punt return. Sanders took an 8-7 lead late in the first half on a TD throw to Harold Fannin and a 2-point conversion run by Quinshon Judkins. But that was all he wrote offensively. Sanders finished the game completing 16 of 25 passes for 149 yards and one TD. He was sacked three times for 34 yards in losses. San Francisco pulled away in the second half as quarterback Brock Purdy avoided a Myles Garrett sack-fest and played error-free on a difficult day to complete passes to improve his team to 9-4. The Browns dropped to 3-9, assuring them of their 23^rd losing season in 27 years.

2. More special teams blunders: After allowing a 66-yard punt return in the first half, the Browns’ special teams committed two more negative plays in the second half. The first was a brain cramp by returner Malachi Corley, who caught a San Francisco kickoff inches from the sideline and then stepped out of bounds at the 5-yard line. All that caused was a punt from deep in the end zone by Corey Bojorquez. More damaging was a fumbled punt by Gage Larvadain at the Browns’ 18 with 13:27 to play. Myles Garrett had just notched his first sack of the game and 19^th of the season to force the San Francisco punt. That resulted in a Purdy TD dart of 7 yards to Jauan Jennings on a slant beating Tyson Campbell. The 49ers’ 2-point pass play failed, and the 49ers led, 23-8.

3. And there it is: The Browns played error-free on offense until a lost fumble at their 33-yard line midway through the third quarter. They faced fourth-and-1 with the 49ers ahead, 10-8. The Browns loaded up with a jumbo formation of three tight ends plus offensive lineman Teven Jenkins. Harold Fannin took a direct snap very close to center and lost the ball. Linebacker Luke Gifford recovered. Brock Purdy made a key completion of 14 yards to George Kittle to the 4-yard line on third-and-8. Then on third-and-2, Purdy executed a great play-fake and bootlegged left for the touchdown. That put the 49ers up, 17-8.

4. Oh, no: Defensive tackle Maliek Collins had to be carted off with a knee injury early in the third quarter, and did not return. Collins was leading all interior defensive linemen with 6.5 sacks this season.

5. Very nice: The Browns’ best drive of the first half – 90 yards in 10 plays – and a 49ers big mistake put the Browns ahead, 8-7, with less than a minute to go. After nine straight running plays, Sanders took a shotgun snap, stepped up in the pocket and connected with Harold Fannin for a 39-yard touchdown. Fannin caught the ball inside the 10 and banged off tacklers to take it over the goal line. As the Browns lined up for the PAT, the 49ers were caught with 12 on the field and penalized for illegal substitution. Kevin Stefanski opted then to go for 2 and Quinshon Judkins burrowed n from the wildcat formation with 39 seconds to go.

6. Not so nice: The lead was short-lived, however. Purdy moved the 49ers 58 yards in six plays to set up a 25-yard Matt Gay field goal. Gay’s kick into the Dawg Pound end zone caromed off the left upright and through the posts as the clock hit zeroes for a 10-8 San Francisco lead at halftime.

7. By the vest: It was an evenly played first half. Inclement weather forecasts proved exaggerated, except for 26mph winds. The Browns outgained the 49ers, 177-134, and had 11 first downs to their nine. Sanders was holding up pretty well in his first start at home (8 of 11, 96 yards, one TD, one sack). His lone sack of 13 yards knocked the Browns out of field goal position on their third series. The Browns also turned over the ball on downs when Judkins was stopped for a 1-yard loss from the 49ers’ 20 when ex-Browns tackle Jordan Elliott shot in from the backside for the TFL. Sanders also overshot Jerry Jeudy, who got behind the 49ers’ secondary, on what could have been a 66-yard TD on a catch and run.

8. Oh, Bubba: The 49ers’ lone TD was jumpstarted by a 66-yard punt return by Skyy Moore, who stiff-armed Corey Bojorquez on his way to the Browns’ 16-yard line. That was the seventh long return given up by Bubba Ventrone’s special teams (punts of 20+ yards and kickoffs of 40+ yards), three of which went for touchdowns. The 49ers finished the scoring drive on a 12-yard reception by Christian McCaffrey on third-and-8 and then McCaffrey’s 2-yard TD on third-and-goal.

9. Line injuries: The Browns had two injuries on their offensive line in the first half. Center Ethan Pocic left with a leg injury, but came back, and right tackle Jack Conklin left with a concussion. Interestingly, right guard Wyatt Teller was spelled at times by Teven Jenkins with no injury reported.

10. Pre-game notes: There were no surprises among Browns inactives. They were: guard Zak Zinter, offensive tackle Cornelius Lucas, receiver Jamari Thrash, tight end Brenden Bates, defensive end Alex Wright and defensive tackle Adin Huntington.