In a surprising turn of events, the San Francisco 49ers went from being a dominant force to tasting defeat in just a matter of days, underlining the unpredictable nature of the NFL. Their regular-season winning streak of 15 games came to an abrupt end in a face-off against the Cleveland Browns, with rookie kicker Jake Moody missing a crucial 41-yard field goal in the closing six seconds, resulting in the Browns securing an unexpected 19-17 victory on Sunday.
Nick Bosa, the standout defensive end for the 49ers, expressed his views after the game, saying, “I don’t think we deserved to win. We didn’t underestimate them, but they did play better than us. We haven’t lost in a long time in the regular season, so it hurts a lot more.”
Dustin Hopkins played a pivotal role for the Browns, contributing with four successful field goals, the last of which occurred with just 1:40 remaining in the game, aided by a controversial unnecessary roughness penalty against the 49ers. This unexpected triumph for the Browns unfolded even without their star quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was sidelined for the second consecutive game due to a shoulder injury.
The 49ers entered the game on a high note, having demolished the Dallas Cowboys 42-10 at their home ground the previous week and consistently scoring over 30 points in each of their first five games. However, the formidable defense of the Cleveland Browns proved to be a challenging obstacle. Moreover, the 49ers faced adversity in the second half as key playmakers Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel left the field due to injuries.
In a surprising twist, P.J. Walker, who was called up from the Cleveland practice squad, outperformed Brock Purdy, the 49ers’ starting quarterback. Purdy, who had been undefeated in his first 10 regular-season starts, had an off day, throwing his first interception of the season and accumulating only 125 passing yards. This was well below his league-leading completion rate of 72.1%.
Purdy acknowledged his shortcomings, stating, “I didn’t play at the standard that I needed to. We feel like we failed our own expectations. I just have to be better and make the throws. Man, it’s the NFL. When you get opportunities, you’ve got to take care of them. There are plays that we didn’t make.”
Despite missing key players, the 49ers managed to mount a comeback in the final drive of the game, with Purdy making critical passes to position Jake Moody for a game-deciding field goal attempt. However, Moody’s kick sailed wide to the right, sealing the Browns’ unexpected victory.
The Browns celebrated the win with great enthusiasm, with their fans rejoicing in the stands, having witnessed their home team overcome the odds.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski praised his team’s effort, saying, “The truth is, we’re a good football team. We’re not perfect, we know that. But we fought like crazy, and I’m just proud of so many guys.”
The 49ers were heavy favorites at the start of the week, and their odds improved further when the Browns ruled out Deshaun Watson before the game. However, Walker displayed poise in leading the Browns to a dramatic victory, helped by a debatable roughness penalty against the 49ers.
Despite the challenges, the 49ers kept their scoring streak alive with an early touchdown, courtesy of a pass from Purdy to McCaffrey. This touchdown extended McCaffrey’s scoring streak to 15 consecutive games, only two short of the NFL record held by Hall of Famer Lenny Moore.
In terms of injuries, the 49ers faced setbacks as Samuel and McCaffrey left the field with injuries. Samuel spent the second half on the sideline in street clothes after an extended period in the medical tent.
Looking ahead, the 49ers will face the Minnesota Vikings on October 23, while the Browns will take on the Indianapolis Colts on October 22.
