Niner Noise
FanSided

5 matchups 49ers need to win in Week 5 to beat Browns

By Elvis Jerez

George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 22: Wide receiver Odell Beckham #13 of the Cleveland Browns looks on during warm ups before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 22: Wide receiver Odell Beckham #13 of the Cleveland Browns looks on during warm ups before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

No. 2: Contain Odell Beckham Jr.

The 49ers defense is ranked top five against tight ends, top eight versus quarterbacks, No. 1 against running backs and in the bottom nine versus wide receivers.

All the signs right now point to the Browns counting on stud receivers, Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry and possibly Antonio Callaway.

Callaway hasn’t played at all this year due to suspension. But in the seven games he played last year, he lined up fairly evenly on either the left or right (21 times to 23, respectively). If he suits up on Monday, he could be used as a decoy for cornerback Richard Sherman on the right side, to free up Beckham on the left against whoever the 49ers play there.

That picture seems somewhat cloudy on Sunday afternoon, according to Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News, the position is up for grabs.

Landry will face off against the third toughest matchup for wide receivers in K’waun Williams, lining up in the slot 90 percent of the time. Landry is unlikely to travel, so Williams should have no issue containing him.

The most pressing concern for the 49ers defense will be Beckham. The flashy, stud receiver tends to hover on the right side, but has no problem adjusting to the matchup, he moves around. If Beckham stays on the right he’ll have to contend with Sherman, the 17th toughest matchup for receivers.

Since the 49ers defensive strategy on the left is uncertain, it’s not hard to imagine Beckham seeking to exploit that side. Whoever ends up on the left, Tarvarius Moore or Jimmie Ward, they’ll need to bring their A-game on Monday night against Beckham.

The ray of hope: Over the last nine games, the 49ers allow 12 percent less passing attempts when they play at home, and the Browns pass 17 percent less when they are considered underdogs, and the defense versus the run fares much better.