The Cleveland Browns enter this Week 6 contest against the undefeated San Francisco 49ers with a record of 2-2. They will be without starting quarterback Deshaun Watson once again in this one as practice squad veteran P.J. Walker will get his first start of the 2023 season after starting five games for the Carolina Panthers a year ago. Bettors are not high on the Browns either, as they sit as 9.5-point underdogs in this game against the NFC juggernaut.
However, can the Browns come out and do the unthinkable and upset the Niners with their backs against the wall? They face a tough task today as Brock Purdy, Kyle Shanahan, and the high-powered Niners’ offense come to town. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has typically had the number of Shanahan, however, so maybe the Browns can squeak out an ugly win.
Here are our weekly Browns Wire staff predictions as the Browns look for their third win of the season today.
Browns Alchemy (@BrownsAlchemy): 49ers over Browns
The Browns will fall to the 49ers 12-21 on Sunday. The game will be an old-fashioned slugfest, as the two best defenses in the league shut down the opposing offense. The 49ers offense, filled with All-Pros, will eventually break free from the Browns’ smothering defense. Unfortunately, the Browns’ offense will struggle against the 49ers’ defense.
The run game will continue to look disjointed against the 49ers’ aggressive front seven. The passing game will struggle to find a rhythm with the new starter P.J. Walker. The Browns’ defense will keep this game within reach for the team but will falter near the end after multiple offensive failures. But as they say: good teams win, great teams cover.
Jacob Roach (@roachizm): 49ers over Browns
The Browns are taking on the best team in the NFL who has always held the lead outside of two minutes all season long. Needless to say, it will be a monster mental task for Cleveland to beat the 49ers on Sunday, but I don’t think it’s impossible. The team will need to lean on the defense and if they can force a couple of turnovers to give short fields Cleveland has a shot.
They cannot let Brock Purdy sit comfortably in the pocket or he will tear them apart. On the offensive side, they cannot afford to turn the ball over and expect to beat San Francisco. If the team can lean on the quick passing game and quarterback run plays they could find some limited success and put some points on the board. In the end, I just don’t think they have enough firepower and I’ll take the 49ers to win 27-17.
Cory Kinnan (@fakecorykinnan): 49ers over Browns
The Browns are entering today’s matchup with their backs against the wall, and that is no way to face the undefeated NFC juggernaut in front of them. While the game will be closer than people think, as Jim Schwartz has a history of having his units prepared to showdown against Kyle Shanahan, the task of asking Walker to potentially match shots with this high-powered Niners’ offense is a tough ask.
The Browns will keep it competitive, and even beat the spread, but they fall to the Niners in this one 19-16.
