SAN FRANCISCO (5-0) at CLEVELAND (2-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, Fox
OPENING LINE: 49ers by 5, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: 49ers 4-0-1; Browns 2-2.
SERIES RECORD: Browns lead 12-8.
LAST MEETING: 49ers beat Browns 31-3 on Oct. 7, 2019, at San Francisco.
LAST WEEK: 49ers beat Cowboys 42-12; Browns had bye.
49ERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (3), RUSH (3), PASS (8), SCORING (2)
49ERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (3), RUSH (2), PASS (12), SCORING (1)
BROWNS OFFENSE: OVERALL (21), RUSH (5), PASS (30), SCORING (23)
BROWNS DEFENSE: OVERALL (1), RUSH (4), PASS (11), SCORING (2T)
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: 49ers plus-7; Browns minus-7.
49ERS PLAYER TO WATCH: QB Brock Purdy threw a career-high four TD passes last week to improve to 10-0 as a starter in the regular season. Purdy's 121.1 rating in those games is the best ever through 10 starts. He has completed 70.4% of his passes — second best to Chad Pennington’s 70.8% — through 10 starts. Only Ben Roethlisberger has won more consecutive starts to begin his career with 15.
BROWNS PLAYER TO WATCH: QB P.J. Walker. With Deshaun Watson missing his second straight game with a bruised right shoulder, Walker will make his Cleveland debut. Walker made seven starts over three seasons with Carolina and was moved ahead of rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson earlier this week. Thompson-Robinson threw three interceptions while filling in for Watson two weeks ago.
KEY MATCHUP: 49ers DE Nick Bosa vs. Browns rookie RT Dawand Jones. The reigning AP Defensive Player of the Year plays on both edges, making him even tougher to contend with. Bosa only has 1 1/2 sacks through five games, but he's capable of tripling that total any time. Jones did a commendable job against Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt in Week 2 and has steadily improved.
KEY INJURIES: San Francisco LG Aaron Banks (shoulder) left last week's game with an injury and his status is in doubt this week. ... RB Elijah Mitchell could return for the Niners after missing two games with a knee injury. ... The Browns came back from the bye week even more banged up. ... Watson didn't practice two days this week as he continues to recover from a shoulder bruise sustained on Sept. 24 against Tennessee. ... Browns All-Pro LG Joel Bitonio (knee) is out, ending his streak of consecutive starts at 102 games. Michael Dunn will replace Bitonio, who underwent a surgical procedure during the bye week. ... Browns TE David Njoku is still recovering from burns to his face and hands in a home firepit accident. Despite the extreme injuries, Njoku played less than 48 hours later and had a team-high six catches against Baltimore.
SERIES NOTES: Browns are 7-2 at home against Niners and won three straight in Cleveland. ... 49ers dominated the Browns in every facet in 2019 meeting, outgaining them 446-180.
STATS AND STUFF: 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan was Cleveland's offensive coordinator in 2014, when the Browns switched to QB Johnny Manziel after 11 games. ... The 49ers are off to the fifth 5-0 start in franchise history, outscoring opponents by a league-high 99 points. ... Six of the previous eight teams in the Super Bowl era with a point differential that high in a 5-0 start made the Super Bowl with three winning the title. ... The Niners have tied a franchise record with 15 straight regular-season wins. ... San Francisco is the sixth team to score at least 30 points in each of the first five games of a season and their eight-game regular-season streak of scoring at least 30 points ranks fifth longest ever. ... The 49ers have scored on the opening drive in seven straight regular-season games with four TDs and one FG this season. ... San Francisco hasn't allowed a 100-yard individual rusher in 32 straight games. ... Niners RB Christian McCaffrey has scored a TD in 14 consecutive games in the regular season and playoffs, tied with Emmitt Smith for the fourth-longest streak ever. Only Lenny Moore (17 games), O.J. Simpson (15) and John Riggins (15) have longer streaks. ... TE George Kittle had three TD catches last week, becoming the first San Francisco player to do that since Vernon Davis in 2009. ... LB Fred Warner had an INT, sack and forced fumble last week to become the first 49ers player to do that in a game since NaVorro Bowman in 2013. ... Browns coach Kevin Stefanski has stressed ball security to his team afte seeing 10 fumbles in the first four games. ...Walker will be making just his eighth career start. He went 4-3 for the Panthers and led them to an upset of Tom Brady and Tampa Bay last season. ... Cleveland's running game hasn't been the same since star Nick Chubb was lost for the season with a knee injury in Week 2. The Browns are still averaging 143.8 yards per game, but just 80 in the past two games. ... Cleveland's top-ranked defense faces its toughest test in the Niners and their plethora of multi-purpose playmakers. ... The Browns have allowed just 196.8 yards per game, the fourth fewest in the first five weeks for any NFL team since 1970. Only the 1971 Baltimore Colts (167.2), 1970 Minnesota Vikings (189.0) and 2008 Baltimore Ravens (198.5) gave up fewer. ... The Browns have given up just 37 first downs, 38 less than the next closest team (Tampa Bay, 75). ... Browns DE Myles Garrett has 5 1/2 sacks and just missed on numerous others. The All-Pro is the only player with at least 16 sacks in each of the past two seasons. ... Browns K Dustin Hopkins has connected on field goals over 50 yards in three straight games.
FANTASY TIP: San Francisco's defense might be a good play against a Cleveland team starting its third QB in five games. Walker played in mop-up duty last season against the Niners, completing 5 of 6 passes for 60 yards while being sacked twice.
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