Unbeaten 49ers humiliate poor Browns
SANTA CLARA: Matt Breida set the tone with a long run as part of his 114yard night, and the San Francisco 49ers dominated the Cleveland Browns in a 31-3 victory on Monday.
Teammate Tevin Coleman added 97 yards on the ground. San Francisco quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo completed 20 of 29 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns.
The 49ers (4-0), the only unbeaten team in the NFC, held Cleveland (2-3) to 180 total yards. San Francisco defensive end Nick Bosa recorded two sacks.
San Francisco joined the 5-0 New England Patriots as the only remaining undefeated teams in the NFL this season. It’s the first time the 49ers have won their first four games since 1990.
“I don’t think anyone expected us to be 4-0 this year, to be honest. Probably expected us to be 0-4. They can say whatever they want. All that matters is who’s in this locker room,” Breida said.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield threw for 100 yards, completing just eight of 22 throws for Cleveland, who committed four turnovers.
For Mayfield, a second-year pro, it marked his first career start without a passing touchdown. He was intercepted twice.
Breida ripped off an 83-yard touchdown run on the 49ers’ first offensive snap on the first of his 11 carries. He also scored on a five-yard pass from Garoppolo later in the first quarter.
The 49ers went 90 yards on the first possession of the second half, with Garoppolo throwing 22 yards to George Kittle for a touchdown and a 28-3 advantage.
San Francisco rushed for 185 firsthalf yards, so it didn’t matter that Garoppolo had thrown for only 46 yards.
Mayfield was intercepted and lost a fumble in the first 11 1/2 minutes before he completed a pass. The 49ers failed to convert after the second of those turnovers when Robbie Gould’s 47-yard fieldgoal attempt drifted wide right. Browns broke through early in the second quarter, with a 10-play drive resulting in Austin Seibert’s 30-yard goal.
The Browns moved into scoring position on their next possession, but Antonio Callaway failed to make a catch at the goal line and the batted ball was picked off by K’Waun Williams and returned 49 yards. The 49ers made the most of the turnover on Coleman’s 19-yard touchdown run.