The Browns will likely have to play the rest of Sunday’s game against San Francisco without one of their key defensive linemen.
Cleveland defensive tackle Maliek Collins has been carted off the field with an apparent leg injury.
Collins, who played for the 49ers last year, had recorded a career-high 6.5 sacks with seven tackles for loss and 12 QB hits entering Sunday’s game.
Defensive end Isaiah McGuire also had to exit the contest earlier in the quarter.
UPDATE 3:00 p.m. ET: Collins has been ruled out with a knee injury. Running back Dylan Sampson is also questionable to return with a calf injury.
Two years ago, the Browns pulled off a home upset to beat the 49ers.
Could the same be in store for Sunday afternoon?
While the Browns scored a late touchdown and got a successful two-point conversion, the 49ers got three late points to lead 10-8 at halftime.
Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders finished a drive with a 34-yard touchdown pass to tight end Harold Fanin, making the score 7-6. But then the 49ers had too many men on the field for the extra-point attempt, prompting the Browns to go for two with the penalty enforced half the distance to the goal.
From the wildcat, running back Quinshon Judkins then made his way across the goal line for the successful conversion, giving Cleveland a one-point lead.
But the 49ers were able to get down the field quickly, with George Kittle catching a 33-yard pass down at the 7-yard line to put San Francisco in manageable field-goal range.
While Matt Gay clanked his 25-yard attempt off the left upright, it was still able to get through the uprights for a successful conversion, giving the club a two-point lead.
Making his second career start, Sanders finished the first half 8-of-11 passing for 96 yards with a TD.
Judkins has handled most of the load offensively, taking 14 carries for 53 yards.
For the 49ers, Brock Purdy is 9-of-15 for 115 yards. Kittle leads with three receptions for 53 yards. McCaffrey had San Francisco’s only touchdown with a 1-yard run, but he finished with just 9 yards on six carries in the first half. He also caught two passes for 13 yards.
Chasing the sack record, Myles Garrett had just one QB hit in the first half.
The Browns will receive the second-half kickoff.
Cleveland’s special teams has been an issue for the club all season and it was again early in Sunday’s matchup with San Francisco.
The 49ers took advantage of a 66-yard punt return by Skyy Moore, with Christian McCaffrey going in the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown to give the club an early 7-0 lead.
Moore fielded the ball at San Francisco’s 18-yard line and found an open lane to get the ball 66 yards all the way down to the Cleveland 16.
Brock Purdy hit Christian McCaffrey for a 12-yard gain down to Cleveland’s 2 on third-and-8. It took the 49ers three more plays to get into the end zone, but McCaffrey finished the drive with a 1-yard score — his eighth rushing touchdown of the season.
The Jaguars will be missing a key piece on their defensive line in Tennessee on Sunday.
Defensive tackle Arik Armstead will not play against the Titans. Armstead was listed as questionable because of a hand injury. Armstead has 23 tackles, 5.5 sacks and a forced fumble this season.
The Jaguars are 7-4 heading into Sunday’s game. A win and a Colts loss would draw them even in the AFC South ahead of a Week 14 matchup between the teams.
Jaguars at Titans
Jaguars: DT Arik Armstead, WR Dyami Brown, DE Travon Walker, G Patrick Mekari, OL Chuma Edoga, RB Cody Schrader, TE Hunter Long, LB Yasir Abdullah
Titans: WR Mason Kinsey, CB Jalyn Armour-Davis, S Jerrick Reed, S Kendell Brooks, G Drew Moss, C Lloyd Cushenberry, DT Shy Tuttle
49ers at Browns
49ers: RB Jordan James, WR Jordan Watkins, OL Connor Colby, DE Sam Okuayinonu, DL Kevin Givens, LB Tatum Bethune, K Eddy Pineiro
Browns: G Zak Zinter, OT Cornelius Lucas, WR Jamari Thrash, TE Brenden Bates, DE Alex Wright, DT Adin Huntington
Texans at Colts
Texans: WR Braxton Berrios, QB Graham Mertz, LB Jamal Hill, OT Jarrett Kingston, G Laken Tomlinson
Colts: CB Jonathan Edwards, TE Tyler Mallory, RB DJ Giddens, DT Eric Johnson, S Reuben Lowery, OT Luke Tenuta
Saints at Dolphins
Saints: RB Alvin Kamara, OT Barry Wesley, TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden, DT John Ridgeway, DT Khristian Boyd, S Ugo Amadi, CB Rejzohn Wright
Dolphins: QB Quinn Ewers, CB AJ Green, LB Andre Carter, WR Tahj Washington, DT Matthew Butler
Falcons at Jets
Falcons: WR KhaDarel Hodge, WR Drake London, LB Josh Woods, OL Michael Jerrell, WR Casey Washington, DL Elijah Garcia.
Jets: CB Jarvis Brownlee, RB Khalil Herbert, EDGE Braiden McGregor, DL Mazi Smith, WR Arian Smith, TE Jalani Woods, DL Tyler Baron
Rams at Panthers
Rams: QB Stetson Bennett, RB Jarquez Hunter, CB Derion Kendrick, OL Beaux Limmer, DE Desjuan Johnson
Panthers: CB Jaycee Horn, WR Hunter Renfrow, LB Claudin Cherelus, LB Christian Rozeboom, C Cade Mays, DT Jared Harrison-Hunte, DT Cam Jackson
Cardinals at Buccaneers
Cardinals: OL Hayden Conner, RB Emari Demercado, CB Elijah Jones, CB Max Melton, DL Walter Nolen, S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson
Buccaneers: QB Connor Bazelak, CB Benjamin Morrison, S Kaevon Merriweather, G Luke Haggard, G Elijah Klein, DL Elijah Simmons
The final bit of discipline has been announced for the fight at the end of Monday night’s Panthers-49ers game.
San Francisco receiver Jauan Jennings, who struck Panthers safety Tre’von Moehrig as the clock was running out, was fined $12,172 for the infraction.
The contact was similar to the hit that resulted in a suspension of Lions safety Brian Branch, after he hit Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. The league didn’t suspend Jennings, apparently in light of the fact that he had been provoked by a blow to the crotch from Moehrig a few minutes earlier. Moehrig also seemed to be expecting the assault from Jennings. Smith-Schuster was extending a hand to Branch when Branch struck him.
Still, enough time had passed to make it not a fully forgivable knee-jerk reaction to a junk-punch. Last week, the NFL apparently did not fine Steelers safety Jalen Ramsey for striking Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase, immediately after Chase had spit on Ramsey.
Moehrig was suspended for his infraction; the officials did not see it as it happened. And the message to all players is becoming more and more clear. If you jump across the line that separates acceptable behavior from flagrant disrespect, you will be suspended, not fined.
