Browns' Offense Struggles in the Margins Despite Even Yardage Battle with 49ers
The box score might show a near dead-even yardage split-253 for the Browns, 252 for the 49ers-but that’s where the symmetry ends. The real story of Cleveland’s Week 13 loss lies in the missed chances, stalled drives, and a fourth-down efficiency that left absolutely no margin for error.
Let’s break it down: the Browns converted just 3-of-11 on third down (27.3%) and went 0-for-4 on fourth. That’s a recipe for frustration, especially when you consider they had three promising drives in the first half alone. Drives that had the rhythm to put points on the board-yet only one of them ended that way.
Here's a closer look at how the offensive snap counts and performances shook out across the board.
Quarterback: Shedeur Sanders Still Searching for Answers
This is a tricky evaluation when it comes to Shedeur Sanders. We’re only two games into his NFL journey, but the flashes and flaws are both on display.
He’s shown a willingness to push the ball downfield, and that alone has turned some heads. But let’s be honest: that trait alone doesn’t make you a starting quarterback in this league.
The processing speed just isn’t there yet-especially on long down-and-distance situations. Sanders is taking too long to make decisions, and that’s something that needs to change quickly if he’s going to be in the conversation as a long-term solution under center.
Still, for a second start, it wasn’t all bad. Sanders missed a big opportunity early when Jerry Jeudy broke free and he didn’t pull the trigger. But the conditions weren’t exactly quarterback-friendly either-wind was a factor, and even Brock Purdy wasn’t exactly lighting it up downfield.
Pro Football Focus gave Sanders a 56.1 grade for the outing. That feels about right-some potential, but plenty of room to grow.
Running Back: Judkins Returns to Form, But Short-Yardage Woes Continue
Quinshon Judkins quietly got back to a respectable 4.0 yards per carry, and that’s worth noting. There were a couple of runs where you thought he might break one, but the big gainers just didn’t materialize. Still, it was a step in the right direction.
The real problem came in short-yardage situations. Cleveland simply couldn’t get the push they needed when it mattered most.
That’s not all on Judkins, but it certainly limited his impact. PFF gave him a 58.1 grade-again, not terrible, but not game-changing either.
Dylan Sampson continues to show some juice in limited touches. And give Sanders credit-he delivered some well-timed screen passes to the backs early in the game. Those were working, and it’s fair to wonder if the offense could’ve leaned on that a bit more.
Wide Receiver: Jeudy’s Frustration Boils Over, Production Still Lacking
Let’s talk about Jerry Jeudy. He was visibly frustrated with Sanders on the sideline-a moment that quickly went viral-and it’s hard to ignore.
Jeudy’s been one of the most disappointing players on this offense all season. More lowlights than highlights, and this week was no different: 3 catches for 26 yards on 4 targets.
Cedric Tillman was nearly invisible (1 target, 0 catches), and while Isaiah Bond and Malachi Corley chipped in with some creative carries-each picking up 9 yards on jet sweeps-that wasn’t enough to change the momentum.
Gage Larvadain had a couple of catches but hurt the team more on special teams, fumbling twice and losing one. Corley also made a costly mistake, stepping out of bounds at the 5-yard line on a kickoff return, killing what could’ve been a promising drive.
Bottom line: the receivers didn’t do enough to help their young quarterback-and in some moments, they actively hurt the cause.
Tight End: Fannin Shines as Receiver, But Ball Security Costs Him
Harold Fannin continues to be a bright spot in this offense. The rookie tight end once again led the team in receiving and showed his ability to break tackles on short routes. He’s been a reliable target and a tough cover in space.
But Fannin also had a costly fumble on a fourth-down play deep in Browns territory. That play stung-not just because of the turnover, but because it came on a late, disjointed quarterback sneak attempt that never had a chance.
Despite his production, Fannin was the second-lowest graded player on offense by PFF with a 46.5. That fumble likely played a big part in dragging his grade down.
Meanwhile, David Njoku’s reduced snap count over the past two weeks raises questions. If he’s playing through injury, it’s clearly limiting his involvement-and his impact.
Offensive Line: The Brightest Spot on the Field
Now, let’s give the offensive line their due. This unit quietly had one of its best collective games of the season. The top five offensive grades from PFF all belonged to linemen, led by Wyatt Teller, who posted an 83.9-his best mark of the year.
Joel Bitonio (81.6), Ethan Pocic (80.3), Teven Jenkins (72.6), and KT Leveston (69.6) rounded out the top five. Even Cam Robinson, who played every snap, graded a solid 65.1.
The Browns rotated Teller and Jenkins at guard, and it worked. Teller looked fresh and dominant, and Jenkins held his own in extended action.
Jack Conklin, unfortunately, exited early with a concussion, and his status moving forward will be something to monitor.
Final Word
This was a game of missed opportunities for the Browns. The defense held San Francisco to just 252 yards-no small feat-but the offense couldn’t capitalize. Between the fourth-down failures, red-zone miscues, and special teams blunders, Cleveland left too many points on the table.
There are some positives here-especially along the offensive line and in the continued emergence of Harold Fannin-but the quarterback situation remains murky, and the skill positions aren’t doing enough to lift the offense out of its funk.
With just a handful of games left, the Browns need to find answers quickly. Because while the defense is doing its part, the offense can’t afford to keep leaving the door open.