The undefeated San Francisco 49ers hit the road to face the Cleveland Browns in a Week 6 Sunday matchup. The 49ers were able to put up 42 points on a top-five defense, the Dallas Cowboys. Will they be able to do the same against the number-one defense in the NFL? If the 49ers want to remain undefeated, they must use "The Keys to Victory."
Rhythm
Expect Kyle Shanahan to call plays to allow quarterback Brock Purdy to get into his rhythm early. Plays like quick throws and screens will not only help the rhythm of the offense, but they will help negate the pass rush. Once the 49ers loosen up the defense, expect Purdy to go intermediate to deep throughout the game. Although the Browns' passing defense is stingy in giving up yards, Purdy has zero problems trusting his receivers and taking what the defense gives him.
Balance
Expect a balanced game plan against the Browns. Cleveland owns the number-one defense in the NFL. They allow, on average, 196.8 yards, ranked number one. They are ranked first against the pass (125 ypg) and fourth against the run (71.8 ypg). The Browns are ranked second in scoring, allowing, on average, 15 points per game. The 49ers have the third-best total offense in the league, averaging 402.6 yards per game. They are ranked eighth in passing (246.2), third in rushing (156.4), and second in scoring (33.4). The 49ers should continue to have a mixture of runs, screens, and passes to help negate the ferocious pass rush of the Browns.
Protection
The 49ers must protect Purdy at all costs. The Browns edge rushers, Myles Garrett and Za'Darius Smith, will be the offensive line's most significant task thus far. Garrett leads the Browns with 5.5 sacks on the season. The Browns have a Total of 71 pressures in four games. Former 49ers' defensive tackle Maurice Hurst is a force in the middle, adding 0.5 sacks to the equation and eight defensive stops. Tight end George Kittle may not have a massive game receiving, but expect more pancakes than touchdowns against the Browns.
Stop The Run
With the season-ending injury to Nick Chubb, the 49ers need not take the Browns' run game lightly. The Browns will go with Jerome Ford, Kareem Hunt, and Pierre Strong. The three running backs have 288 yards and two touchdowns on the season. The 49ers are ranked second against the run, allowing teams an average of 64.2 yards per game. With P.J. Walker set to start at quarterback for the Browns, the 49ers need to take away the run and force him to become one-dimensional.
Turnovers
The 49ers have a total of nine turnovers on the season. The team forced the Cowboys to commit four turnovers in one game—three interceptions and a forced fumble/recovery. The Browns have turned the ball over ten times this season with five fumbles and five interceptions. Expect the 49ers defense to capitalize off of Cleveland's mistakes. The 49ers are tied for second in giveaways with two fumbles. "Win the turnover battle, win the game."
In Conclusion
The 49ers will face a tough defensive matchup in Week 6, but with the team's offense heating up, they seem to make top defenses look like they belong at the bottom of the rankings. If San Francisco looks to improve to 6-0 and remain undefeated, it must glance at the "Keys to Victory."
