49ers Defeat Browns 26-8 in Dominant Performance

The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cleveland Browns 26-8 on Sunday at Huntington Bank Field, improving to 9-4 on the season. The win, which marked San Francisco’s third straight, saw the 49ers capitalize on Cleveland’s mistakes and dominate key moments on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Brock Purdy led the 49ers with a steady performance, finishing 16-of-29 for 168 passing yards, one touchdown, and a rushing score. Purdy’s 2-yard bootleg touchdown late in the third quarter extended the lead to 17-8 and featured a celebratory ‘Dougie’ dance in front of the Dawg Pound. Tight end George Kittle was Purdy’s top target, catching four passes for 67 yards, including a key 33-yard reception that set up a field goal before halftime. San Francisco’s offense consistently took advantage of short fields. A 66-yard punt return by Skyy Moore set up the opening touchdown, a 2-yard run by Christian McCaffrey. Later, turnovers—one on a muffed punt and another on a failed fourth-down conversion—led directly to 49ers touchdowns. Wide receiver Jauan Jennings caught a 7-yard touchdown from Purdy in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach. Kicker Matt Gay was perfect, converting field goals from 25 and 31 yards. On defense, the 49ers pressured Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, sacking him three times. Defensive lineman Clelin Ferrell recorded two sacks, and Keion White added another. Despite a strong first half—where Sanders threw his second career touchdown to tight end Harold Fannin Jr.—the Browns managed just 76 offensive yards after halftime. Cleveland briefly led 8-7 late in the second quarter after Sanders found Fannin for a 34-yard touchdown and Quinshon Judkins scored on a two-point conversion. However, the Browns’ offense stalled, and special teams mistakes proved costly. A muffed punt and a failed fourth-down attempt both gave the 49ers short fields, which San Francisco turned into touchdowns. The Browns’ defense limited McCaffrey to 74 all-purpose yards—one of his lowest outputs this season—and sacked Purdy once, with Myles Garrett extending his league-leading total to 19. With this result, the 49ers enter their bye week poised in the NFC playoff race. The Browns, now 3-9, will look to regroup as they prepare to host the Titans. For more details and highlights, visit the CBS Sports game recap and NFL Twitter for live updates.