CLEVELAND — The 49ers just beat the Cleveland Browns 26-8. Now, the 49ers are 9-4, they’ve won three games in a row and they have their bye week coming up. In addition, the Rams lost today, which means the 49ers still have a chance to win the NFC West.
With all of that in mind, here are the 49ers’ grades for this performance.
QUARTERBACK: B
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Brock Purdy wasn’t exactly prolific — he threw for 168 yards and 1 touchdown, and his passer rating was a humble 83.7. But it was extremely windy, which made passing difficult, so it’s hard to knock Purdy’s passes for fluttering, which they did frequently.
Fortunately for Purdy, he was facing the 3-9 Browns, so he didn’t have to be prolific. All he had to do was avoid a few sacks and not throw any interceptions, and he did both of those things. He took zero risks and let the Browns beat themselves. That’s maturation.
Finally, Purdy looked mobile for the first time all year. He even ran for a touchdown. If he continues to play like he did in this game, the 49ers will win at least one playoff game this season. Still, Purdy will have to take more chances when he faces teams that actually can score.
RUNNING BACKS: C-MINUS
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The Browns made it their No. 1 priority to shut down Christian McCaffrey, and they succeeded. He averaged just 2.7 yards per carry and gained a measly 74 yards from scrimmage on 24 touches. And his backup, Brian Robinson Jr., wasn’t much better — he averaged just 3.3 yards per carry.
The 49ers simply don’t run the ball well anymore. Any good run defense can shut down this ground attack. This offseason, the 49ers will have to find a new running back to add this team. McCaffrey should not be a bellcow anymore.
WIDE RECEIVERS: C-MINUS
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Jauan Jennings was OK — he had 39 yards and 1 touchdown. He also almost started a fight for the second week in a row. He needs to stop running his mouth, or he will cost the 49ers when they can least afford it.
Ricky Pearsall had 2 catches for 14 yards. He’s a deep threat who’s playing with a quarterback who has no zip on his downfield throws right now, so he’s not much of a factor.
TIGHT ENDS: A
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Not only is George Kittle an all-time great player, he’s clutch, too. He had only four catches for 67 yards, but when the 49ers absolutely needed to make a play, they went to Kittle and he came through.
Late in the second quarter, the Browns actually took an 8-7 lead. The 49ers got the ball back with about 30 seconds left, and Kittle caught a 33-yard pass to set up a field goal right before halftime. This gave the 49ers the lead, and they never gave it back. Kittle is the biggest mismatch in the NFL and the 49ers should give him the ball more often. Unfortunately, he has to spend lots of his time blocking because he’s so good at it and the offensive line is mediocre at best.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: C
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Brock Purdy got sacked only once, but that’s mostly because he threw short passes and scrambled. Overall, the 49ers offensive line got bullied. They couldn’t create any push in the run game, and their pass protection wasn’t much better. Trent Williams had a particularly bad game — he gave up a sack and committed two penalties. This might be his last season.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: B
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The 49ers chose not make a major trade for a pass rusher at the deadline. Instead, they traded a late pick for Keion White and signed Clelin Ferrell after the Chargers released him from the practice squad. That’s right — they didn’t even want him to practice with them anymore.
Today, Ferrell recorded two sacks and White recorded one. Granted, they were facing a rookie quarterback who is allergic to checking the ball down. Still, the pass rush is performing surprisingly well. Ferrell in particiular has been outstanding. He has four sacks in four games with the 49ers this season.
LINEBACKERS: C
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They couldn’t stop a simple screen pass, and they gave up 138 rushing yards and 4.5 yards per carry to a team that had no real passing game. All the 49ers had to worry about was stopping the run, and they still couldn’t. Fortunately for the 49ers, the Browns turned the ball over multiple times, fell behind and couldn’t keep running. Still, run defense will be an issue for the rest of the season.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: A-MINUS
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Someone forgot to cover Browns rookie tight end Harold Fannin at the end of the first half when he scored, but that was the only touchdown and the only big play the secondary allowed. Granted, none of the Browns receivers can create separation, and their quarterback was under pressure most of the game. Still, this group played well. Malik Mustapha and Upton Stout in particular made some excellent tackles.
SPECIAL TEAMS: A-PLUS
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Skyy Moore had another long return, the 49ers recovered a muff punt, Isaac Guerendo forced a fumble but the Browns recovered it, and Matt Gay made two field goals and two extra points. This might be the best unit on the team. Last season, it was the worst unit in the NFL. Brant Boyer, the special teams coach, appears to be the real deal.
COACHES: A
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The Browns offense is terrible, but Robert Saleh still gets credit for holding them to just 8 points without Fred Warner and Nick Bosa. This performance increases the likelihood that Saleh will leave to become a head coach this offseason. Don’t be surprised if Mike Tomlin leaves the Steelers and Saleh replaces him. He would be perfect for that organization.
Kyle Shanahan did a good job of protecting Brock Purdy from Myles Garrett by moving the pocket. Shanahan’s best call of the game was a zone-read for Purdy at the two-yard-line. He could have walked into the end zone — the Browns never saw it coming. The 49ers should call this play for Purdy more often, because the more he runs, the better he plays.
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